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HAZEL'S  CALL  ox  COLONEL  ALEXANDER  HAMILTON. 


See  Page  76.  > 


A  LOYAL  LITTLE  RED-COAT 


A  Story  of  Child-life  in  New  York  a  Hundred  Years  Ago 


BY 


RUTH  OGDEN 

Author  of  "His  Little  Royal  Highhess"  and  ''-Courage" 


fourth  Edition 
WITH  OVER  STXTY  ORIGINAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

H.   A.   OGDEN 


NEW  YORK 
FREDERICK     A.    STOKES    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT,  1890, 
Bv  FREDERICK   A.   STOKES  COMPANY. 


HENRY  MOHSE 


PREFACE. 


IN  the  introductory  chapter  of  "  The  History  of  the  People  of 
the  United  States,"  Mr.  McMaster  announces  as  his  subject,  ''The 
history  of  the  people  from  the  close  of  the  war  for  Independence 
down  to  the  opening  of  the  war  between  the  States."  It  seems  at 
first  thought  improbable  that  a  history  excluding  both  the  Revolu 
tion  and  the  Civil  War  should  prove  in  any  great  degree  interesting, 
but  the  first  twelve  pages  suffice  to  convince  one  to  the  contrary. 
With  consummate  skill  in  selection  and  narration,  Mr.  McMaster 
has  brought  to  light  information  of  a  singularly  novel  character. 
Impressed  with  this  unlooked-for  quality,  it  occurred  to  me  that  here 
was  ground  that  had  not  been  previously  gone  over  —  not,  at  any 
rate,  in  a  story  for  children.  "  A  Loyal  Little  Red-Coat"  has  been 
the  outcome.  Whether  I  have  succeeded  in  transferring  to  these 
pages  aught  of  the  peculiar  interest  of  the  history  remains  to  be 
seen.  This  much  may  be  said,  however,  that  every  historical  allusion 
is  based  upon  actual  fact.  The  English  Circus,  the  Captain's  letter, 
Harry's  Prison-Ship  experiences,  Alexander  Hamilton's  successful 
defence  of  a  Tory  client,  the  treatment  of  the  Bonifaces  at  the  ball  —  • 
all  find  their  counterpart  in  the  realities  of  a  century  ago.  For  much 
of  the  minor  historical  detail  I  am  indebted  to  those  rare  and  quaint 
old  volumes,  carefully  treasured  by  our  historical  societies,  which 
make  possible  the  faithful  recounting  of  the  story  of  bygone  days. 
In  my  attempt  to  reproduce  the  child-life  of  a  time  so  far  removed, 
I  have  probably  been  guilty  of  some  anachronisms.  If,  however,  I 
have  woven  a  page  of  history  into  a  story  that,  by  any  chance,  shall 
interest  the  children,  for  whom  it  has  been  a  delight  to  me  to  write 
it,  I  shall  be  sincerely  grateful. 

RUTH  OGDEN. 

BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


51 


0895 


A  LOYAL  LITTLE  RED-COAT 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

I. — On  the  Albany  Coach, 9 

II.—  Hazel  speaks  her  Mind,  .          .                  .         .  17 

III. —  The  Circus,  and  What  came  of  It,     .         .         .  27 

IN.— Flutters,     ....                           .        .  $& 

V. —  Captain  Boniface  receives  an  angry  Letter ',        .  50 

VI.— Off  for  the  Prison  Ship,           ....  53 

VII.— Harrys  Story, •  5& 

VIII.— A    Call  on   Colonel  Hamilton,                     .  71 

IX. — Flutters  has  a  Benefit,          .         .         .         .         .  81 

X. — Darling  Old  Aunt  Frances,    ....  94 

XI. —  The  Van  Vleets  give  a  Tea  Party,       .         .         .  101 

XII. — An  Interruption 107 

XI I L— More  about  the   Tea  Party,           .         .         .         .  113 

XIV. — Hazel  has  a  Conviction, 120 

XV. — Flutters  conies  to  the  Front,         ...         .         .128 

XVI.—  Colonel  Hamilton  ''takes  to"  Harry,        .         .  137 

XVII,— /«  the  little  Gold  Gallery, 142 

XVIII. — More  of  a  Red-coat  than  ever,          .         .         .  151 

XIX.—  A   Sad  Little  Chapter, 165 

XX. — Flutters  comes  to  a  Decision,    .         .         .         .  171 
XXI. — Some  Old  Friends  come  to  Light,        .         .         .178 

XXIl.—Goott-fye,  Sir  Guy, 185 

XXIII. — Flutters  loses  one  of  the  Old  Friends,         .         .194 

XXIV. —  Two  Important  Letters, 197 

XXV.— A  Happy  Day  for  Aunt  Frances,       .         .         .  205 

XXVI. —  The  ''Blue  Bird"   weighs  Anchor,  .         .         .  210 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE    RED-COAT. 


CHAPTER  I. 


ON    THE    ALBANY    COACH. 

AZEL  BONIFACE  was  a 

Loyalist,  which  means  that 
she  was  a  hearty  little 
champion  of  King-  George 
the  Third  of  England,  and 
this  notwithstanding  she 
lived  in  America,  and  was 
born  there.  It  had  hap 
pened  to  be  on  a  crisp  Oc 
tober  morning  of  the  year 
1773  that  Hazel's  gray 
eyes  first  saw  the  light,  and 
they  no  sooner  saw  the 
light  than  they  saw  a  won 
derful  red  coat,  and  just  as 
soon  as  she  was  able  to 
understand  it,  she  learned 
that  that  red  coat  belonged 
to  her  papa,  and  that  her  papa  belonged  to  King  George's  army. 
So,  after  all^you  see  it  was  but  natural  that  she  should  have  been  a 
little  Loyalist  from  the  start,  and  quite  to  have  been  expected  that 
she  should  grow  more  and  more  staunch  with  every  year. 

Now    it    chanced    one    midwinter  afternoon,   when    Hazel  was 


io     .    .,  ,.  ... ,,.,...  .A.LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

about  six  years  old,  that  she  came  into  the  city — that  i?,  into  New 
York — on  an  errand  with  her  father,  and  that  she  stood  for  a  while 
watching  a  merry  party  of  boys,  who  were  having  the  jolliest  sort 
of  a  time  coasting  down  Powder  House  Hill,  and  skating  on  the 
clear,  crystal  ice  of  the  Collect.  The  Collect  and  Powder  House 
Hill!  You  never  heard  of  them,  did  you,  and  yet  may  have  lived 
in  New  York  all  your  life;  but  you  may  believe  the  little  New 
Yorkers  of  those  days  knew  them  and  loved  them. 

The  Collect  (though  where  it  got  its  name  no  one  knows)  was 
a  beautiful  sheet  of  water  connected  with  the  North  River  by  a 
creek  crossing  Broadway,  where  we  now  have  Canal  street,  and  the 
hill  where  the  Powder  House  stood  was  one  of  the  pretty  heights 
that  bordered  it.  Wouldn't  some  of  the  little  people  who  live  in 
that  crowded  part  of  the  city  to-day  be  surprised  to  know,  that  only 
a  hundred  years  ago  ponds  and  hills  took  the  place  of  the  level  city 
streets,  and  that  a  boy  could  start  way  over  east  of  Broadway,  skate 
under  the  arch  at  Canal  street,  and  then  strike  out  across  the  broad 
Lispenard  meadows  straight  to  the  North  River?  But  those  boys 
of  the  olden  time,  who  were  spending  their  short  afternoon  holiday 
there  on  the  ice,  were  exactly  like  the  boys  of  to-day,  in  that  they 
were  cutting  up  the  very  silliest  sort  of  capers.  Hazel,  however, 
thought  it  all  very  funny,  arid  longing  for  the  time  when  she  should 
have  a  pair  of  skates  of  her  own,  wondered  if  that  boy  with  the 
pretty  name — that  boy  the  other  boys  called  Starlight — would  teach 
her  how  to  use  them.  And  so  one  time  when  he  came  gliding  her 
way  she  called  out,  quite  to  the  surprise  of  her  father,  whose  hand 
she  stood  holding,  "  Will  you  teach  me  how  to  skate  when  I  grow 
old  enough,  Starlight?" 

"  Bless  your  heart,  yes,"  came  the  answer,  as  soon  as  the  finest 
little  skater  that  ever  buckled  skates  on  the  Collect  could  put  the 
brakes  to  his  winged  feet,  "  but  you  must  tell  me  your  name,  so 
that  I  shall  know  you  when  you  grow  up." 

"Hazel,  Hazel  Boniface,"  she  replied;  "and  is  your  name  really 
Starlight  ?  It's  a  beautiful  name." 

"  Yes,  Starlight's  my  last  name ;  my  other  name  is  Job ;  that 
isn't  so  pretty,  is  it  ?" 

"  I  should  think  not ;  I  shall  always  call  you  just  Starlight." 

And   Hazel  had  been  true  to  her  word,  and  had  always  called 


ON    THE   ALBANY  COACH.  n 

Job  just  Starlight,  and  Job  had  been  true  to  his  promise,  and  had 
long  ago  taught  Hazel  to  skate,  for  she  was  ten  now  and  he  four 
teen,  and  they  had  been  the  best  of  friends  this  long  while,  notwith 
standing  Job  was  as  zealous  a  Whig  as  was  Hazel  a  Loyalist. 

And  now,  for  fear  you  should  not  happen  to  know  just  what  is 
meant  by  Whig  and  Loyalist,  you  must — there  is  no  help  for  it  if 
you  are  to  understand  this  story — put  up  with  a  solid  little  bit  of 
history  right  here  and  now.  You  see  Hazel  was  born  in  1773,  and 
as  she  has  just  scored  .a  tenth  birthday,  that  brings  us  to  1783,  and 
1783  found  affairs  in  New  York  in  a  decidedly  topsy-turvy  state. 
A  great  war  had  been  going  on  for  eight  long  years  called,  as  you 
know,  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  because  the  colonies  in  America 
had  revolted,  declaring  their  determination  to  be  independent,  and 
that  King  George  of  England  should  no  longer  be  their  king.  And 
all  that  while,  that  is,  during  those  eight  long  years,  King  George's 
soldiers  had  been  in  possession  of  New  York,  and  many  of  the 
Whigs — and  Whigs,  remember,  are  the  people  who  sided  against 
King  George — had  fled  from  their  dwellings,  and  scores  of  Loyal 
ists,  pouring  into  the  city  to  be  under  the  protection  of  the  English 
soldiers,  had  made  their  homes  in  the  Whigs'  empty  houses.  But 
now  matters  were  beginning  to  look  very  differently.  The  great 
war  was  over,  the  colonies  had  been  successful,  and  although  the 
English  soldiers  were  still  in  New  York,  they  were  soon  to  go, 
every  one  of  them,  and  the  Whigs  were  returning  in  great  numbers, 
and  trying  to  turn  out  the  Loyalists,  whom  they  found  living  in 
their  homes.  Most  of  these  Loyalists,  however,  were  very  loath  to 
go,  some  of  them,  indeed,  avowing  that  go  they  would  not  !  No 
wonder,  then,  that  affairs  in  New  York  in  1783  were  in  a  decidedly 
topsy-turvy  state ;  and  this  brings  us  to  the  real  commencement  of 
our  story,  and  to  Hazel,  sitting  alone  on  the  porch  of  her  home  at 
Kings  Bridge,  and  with  a  most  woe-begone  expression  on  her 
usually  happy  face.  Suddenly  a  new  thought  seemed  to  strike  her, 
and  she  started  on  a  brisk  little  run  for  the  gate ;  but  it  was  simply 
that,  hearing  the  sound  of  wheels  in  the  distance,  she  knew  that  the 
Albany  coach  was  coming,  and  the  Albany  coach  was  what  she  was 
waiting  for.  That  was  long  before  the  days  of  railroads,  and 
when  all  the  travelling  must  needs  be  done  in  that  "  slow-coach" 
fashion. 


12  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

The  Albany  stage  was  generally  full  inside,  and,  as  Hazel 
expected,  this  morning  was  no  exception  ;  but  that  did  not  make  the 
least  difference  in  the  world  to  her,  for  what  she  wanted  was  a  seat 
beside  Joe  Ainsworth,  the  driver.  Indeed,  it  was  not  an  unusual 
thing  for  Hazel  to  ask  for  a  ride  into  town,  nor  for  Joe  to  grant  it, 
so  that  the  moment  he  spied  her  standing  in  the  road  ahead  of 
him,  he  knew  what  it  meant,  and  reined  up  his  four  dusty  white 
horses. 

Hazel  looked  very  sweet  and  fresh,  no  doubt,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
wearied  travellers,  who  had  journeyed  all  night  in  the  jouncing 
stage,  and,  in  fact,  she  would  have  looked  sweet  and  fresh  in  the  eyes 
of  anybody  whose  eyes  were  good  for  very  much.  She  wore  a 
quaint  little  gown  and  kerchief,  as  yet  without  rumple  or  wrinkle, 
for  it  was  but  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  breakfast  and  a 
quiet  little  "  think"  on  the  porch  had  not  proved  in  the  least  damag 
ing  to  either  skirt  or  kerchief.  To  tell  the  truth,  Hazel  had  an 
intense  regard  for  a  fresh  and  dainty  toilet,  and  somehow  contrived 
to  scale  the  side  of  the  coach  without  in  any  way  begriming  her 
pretty  dress,  although  she  was  obliged  to  make  use  of  one  great 
dusty  wheel  in  ascending.  First  she  planted  both  feet  on  its  hub, 
and  then  by  aid  of  Joe's  hand  fairly  bounded  to  her  seat  beside  him 
with  quite  as  much  grace  as  a  little  deer  of  the  forest,  and  a  "little 
dear"  she  was  in  point  of  fact,  if  you  alter  but  one  letter  in  the 
spelling. 

"Well,  Miss  Hazel,"  said  Joe,  after  he  had  started  up  his  horses, 
"how  are  you  this  warm  morning?"  for  it  was  early  September,  and 
the  sun  was  already  shining  hotly  down  upon  them. 

"  Oh,  I'm  very  well ;"  then,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "  No,  I  don't 
believe  I  am  very  well,  either,  because,  Joe,  I  feel  very  blue." 

"  Blue  !"  exclaimed  Joe  ;  "  you  blue  !  Why,  you  ought  not  to 
learn  even  the  meaning  of  the  word  these  twenty  years  yet." 

"  Some  children  learn  it  very  young,  Joe,"  with  a  real  little 
sigh. 

"  But  what  in  creation  have  you  to  be  blue  about,  I'd  like  to 
know  ?  Perhaps  you  have  gotten  a  spot  on  that  pretty  Sunday 
frock  of  yours,"  for  Joe  knew  Hazel's  little  weakness  in  that 
direction. 

"Joe  !"  said  Hazel,  indignantly,  and  with  such  a  world  of  reproof 


ON   THE  ALBANY  COACH.  13 

in  her  tone  that  Joe  had  to  pretend  to  cough  to  keep  from  laugh 
ing.  "  If  you  think  a  moment,  Joe,  I'm  sure  you  will  remember  that 
I  have  reason  to  feel  very,  very  blue  indeed." 

Hazel  was  so  serious  that  Joe  felt  in  duty  bound  to  put  his 
thinking-cap  on,  and  ransacked  his  brain  for  the  possible  occasion  of 
her  depression.  Hazel,  with  childish  dignity,  did  not  offer  to  help 
him  in  the  matter,  and  they  drove  for  a  few  moments  in  a  silence 
broken  only  by  the  creak  of  the  weather-beaten  stage,  and  the 
regular,  monotonous  rattle  of  the  loose-fitting  harness.  Down 
through  the  dusty  yellow  leaves  of  the  roadside  trees  the  sunlight 
filtered,  to  the  dustier  hedges  below,  and  there  was  little  or  no  life 
in  the  air.  Indeed,  it  was  a  morning  when  one  had  need  to  be  very 
much  preoccupied  not  to  feel  blue,  as  Hazel  called  it,  and  a  dis 
criminating  person  might  have  deemed  the  weather  in  a  measure 
responsible  for  her  down-heartedness.  Meanwhile  the  horses  jogged 
along  at  the  merest  little  pretence  of  a  trot,  and,  missing  the 
customary,  "  Get-up,  Jenny  !"  and  "  Whist  there.  Kate!"  subsided  into 
a  walk,  varied  more  than  once  by  a  deliberate  standstill,  whenever 
the  "  off-leader"  saw  fit  to  dislodge  a  persistent  fly  by  the  aid  of  a 
hind  hoof.  "  Look  here,  driver !"  called  one  of  the  passengers  at 
last,  "there's  a  snail  on  the  fence  there,  that  will  beat  us  into  town  if 
you  don't  look  out."  The  fact  was,  Joe  had  not  only  put  his  think 
ing-cap  on,  but  had  pulled  it  so  far  down  over  his  ears,  that  he  had 
quite  forgotten  all  about  his  horses  and  Hazel,  and  his  thoughts  had 
gone  "  wool-gathering,"  as  old  people's  thoughts  have  a  fashion  of 
going.  "  Get  along  with  you,"  he  called  to  the  tired  team, 
thoroughly  roused  from  his  reveries,  and  spurring  them  into  greater 
activity  with  his  long  whip-lash  ;  then,  turning  to  Hazel,  he  said — 
"  Come  to  think  of  it,  I  should  not  wonder  if  you  are  blue  about 
that  little  Starlight  matter." 

"  Little  Starlight  matter  !  Do  you  think  it's  a  little  matter,  Mr. 
Ainsworth,  to  be  kept  out  of  your  house  and  have  a  lot  of  soldiers 
living  in  it  ?" 

"  But  they  are  King  George's  soldiers  ;  that  ought  to  make  it  all 
right  in  your  eyes,  Miss  Hazel." 

"  Oh,  the  men  are  not  to  blame ;  they  have  to  do  as  the  officers 
tell  them  ;  but  I  hate  that  old  Captain  Wadsworth.  Sometimes  I 
think  I'll  write  and  tell  King  George  what  a  dreadful  man  he  is,  for 


14  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

I  don't  believe  he  knows.  But,  after  all,  they  say  it's  an  American, 
our  own  Colonel  Hamilton,  that's  most  to  blame." 

"Alexander  Hamilton!  Why,  how's  that?"  exclaimed  Joe, 
knowing  well  enough,  but  wishing  to  hear  Hazel  grow  eloquent  on 
the  subject. 

"  Well,  this  is  how  it  is,  Mr.  Ainsworth,"  and  Hazel  folded  her 
hands  and  composed  herself  for  what  promised  to  be  quite  a  long 


"WELL,  THIS  is  HOW  IT  is,  MR.  AINSWORTH." 

story.  "  You  know  the  Starlights.  Well,  they've  lived  right  on  that 
same  piece  of  land  ever  since  Job's  great-great-grandfather,  who 
was  an  Englishman,  married  a  Dutch  wife  and  came  to  live  in  New 
York.  Why,  there  weren't  more  than  half-a-dozen  houses  here 
when  they  came,  and  if  anybody  has  a  right  to  their  land  and  their 
house,  they  have.  They  used  to  be  a  very  big  family,  the  Starlights 
did,  but  now  there's  only  Job  left  and  his  Aunt  Frances.  She's  the 


ON    THE   ALBANY  COACH.  15 

loveliest  lady,  Joe,  and  so  very  fond  of  Starlight  (that's  Job),  and 
Starlight  is  just  as  good  to  her  as  a  boy  can  be.  Well,  one  night, 
nearly  two  years  ago,  a  party  of  English  soldiers  (some  of  them 
were  awful  bad  fellows,  Joe,  even  if  they  were  the  King's  men)  went 
about  the  street  doing  just  about  as  they  pleased,  and  Miss  Avery — 
that  is,  Aunt  Frances — was  very  much  frightened,  as  well  she  might 
be,  and  the  next  day  she  packed  up  and  took  the  ferry  to  Paulus 
Hook,  to  stay  with  some  friends  of  hers,  who  live  over  there  and 
own  a  big  farm." 

"  You  mean  the  Van  Vleets,  don't  you  ?"  questioned  Joe,  now 
wisely  dividing  his  attention  between  Hazel's  narrative  and  his 
horses,  who  were  only  too  quick  to  detect  any  lack  of  vigilance  on 
his  part. 

"  Yes,  do  you  know  them,  Joe?" 

"  Know  'em  like  a  book,  Miss  Hazel.  Old  Jacob  Van  Vleet 
has  been  over  the  road  with  me  scores  of  times." 

"  Well,  they're  very  kind  people,  Joe,  and  Starlight  and  his  aunt 
are  living  there  still,  only  now  that  the  war  is  over  they  want  to 
come  back." 

"  And  that's  not  an  easy  thing  to  do,  is  it,"  laughed  Joe,  "  when 
your  house  is  full  of  English  officers  and  their  men  ?" 

"  But  the  soldiers  have  no  right  there,  Joe,  and  the  worst  of  it  is, 
Captain  Wadsworth  says  he  is  going  to  resign  his  commission  and 
stay  after  his  men  go  back  to  England,  and  make  it  his  own  home. 
He  says  it  belongs  to  him.  It  was  given  to  him,  after  Miss  Avery 
left  it,  by  what  they  call  a  military  order.  But,  military  order  or  no, 
Joe,  that  house  belongs  to  Aunt  Frances." 

"  Of  course   it  would  seem  so,  Miss  Hazel— 

"  And  if  it  hadn't  been  for  Colonel  Alexander  Hamilton  she'd  be 
in  it  to-day,  Joe.  You  see  she  went  to  law  about  it,  and  they  say 
Colonel  Hamilton,  who  took  Captain  Wadsworth's  side,  is  so  smart 
and  so  handsome  that  he  just  talked  the  court  into  deciding  against 
her." 

"  It  certainly  was  mighty  queer  in  Lawyer  Hamilton,"  said  Joe, 
meditatively,  "  to  turn  against  his  own  side  in  that  fashion  ;  but, 
Miss  Hazel,  why  don't  you  go  and  see  him  about  it  ?" 

Hazel  looked  up  a  moment  with  a  questioning  gaze  to  see  if  he 
Were  quite  in  earnest. 


i6 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


"  That  is  just  what  I  am  going  to  do  this  very  day,"  she  answered, 
reassured,  "and  first  I  want  to  see  Captain  Wadsworth. 
down  at  the  Starlights'  gate,  please."  m 

So  a  few  moments  later  the  Albany  coach  reined  up  in  front 
the   Starlight    homestead,   and    Hazel,  jumping  quickly  down  from 
the  coach  with  a  "  Thank  you  for   the  ride,  Joe,"  swung  open    the 
old  Dutch  gate  with    an  air  well  calculated  to   make  the  heart 
Captain  Wadsworth  quake. 


CHAPTER  II. 


HAZEL    SPEAKS    HER    MIND. 

ORE  than  one  pair  of  ears 
heard  the  creak  of  the  clum 
sy  Dutch  gate  as  it  swung 
on  its  hinges  for  Hazel, 
for  every  door  and  win 
dow  of  Captain  Wads- 
worth's  quarters  stood 
wide  open  to  catch  all 
there  was  of  any  little 
cooling  breeze  which 
might  bestir  itself  that 
close  September  morn 
ing.  And  more  than  one 
pair  of  eyes  glancing  in 
the  same  direction  saw 
Hazel  coming  up  the 
path  and  brightened  at  the  sight  of  her.  They  knew  her  well,  all  those 
English  soldiers,  for  she  had  often  accompanied  her  father  when  he 
had  come  among  them  on  business,  and  while  he  was  busy  here  and 
there,  had  chattered  in  her  frank,  fearless  way  with  one  and  another. 
Indeed,  owing  to  her  loyalist  principles  and  a  little  red  coat  which 
she  was  in  the  habit  of  wearing,  she  was  familiarly  known  among  the 
rank  and  file  of  his  Majesty's  service  as  •'  Little  Red-Coat,"  and 
often  addressed  by  that  name.  But  this  was  her  first  visit  all  by  her 
self,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  Hazel  had  some  misgiving  as  to  its  propriety, 
and  as  to  her  own  behavior  in  running  off  in  this  fashion,  for  she  had 
announced  her  departure  to  no  one.  Her  sister  Josephine,  however, 
had  happened  to  see  her  taking  her  seat  on  the  Albany  stage,  and 
wondered  what  she  was  up  to.  But  "runaway"  or  no,  the  eyes  that 
saw  Hazel  Boniface  did  nevertheless  brighten  at  the  sight  of  her, 


i8  A   LOYAL  LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

from  those  of  Captain  Wadsvvorth's  old  body-servant,  who  was 
brushing  the  Captain's  clothes  very  vigorously  from  one  of  the 
dormer-windows  in  the  steep  sloping  roof,  to  those  of  the  Captain 
himself,  who  sat  tipped  back  in  a  great  arm-chair  in  a  corner  of  the 
wide  piazza. 

"  Good-morning,  Hazel,"  said  the  Captain,  rising  to  meet  her. 
"  Have  you  come  on  some  errand  for  your  papa,  or  simply  to  pay  us 
a  nice  little  visit  and  cheer  us  up  a  bit  ?  English  soldiers  need 
cheering  nowadays,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  said  Hazel,  sympathetically ;  for,  true  to  her 
Loyalist  sentiments,  she  felt  sorry  enough  that  these  same  English 
soldiers  had  not  been  successful  in  the  war  they  had  been  waging; 
but  her  mind  was  intent  at  present  on  her  own  private  business. 

"  I  have  come  just  to  make  you  a  little  visit,  Captain  Wads- 
worth,"  she  continued,  "and  to  talk  to  you  a  little, and  I  don't  believe 
I  can  cheer  you  up  at  all,  because  I  am  pretty  blue  myself." 

The  corners  of  Captain  Wadsworth's  mouth  twitched  at  the 
thought  of  such  a  fair  and  youthful  little  specimen  indulging  in  the 
blues;  but  he  succeeded  in  asking  gravely,  as  he  led  the  way  in 
doors,  "  Why,  how  ever  can  that  be  ?  Come  right  into  the  office 
here  and  tell  me  all  about  it." 

"  This  isn't  the  office  at  all,"  she  said,  emphatically,  as  she  took 
her  seat  on  a  little  Dutch  rocker  that  had  been  Aunt  Frances's 
sewing-chair.  "  This  is  the  sitting-room,  and  it's  dreadful,  Captain 
Wadsworth,  to  see  it  so  dusty." 

Captain  Wadsworth  looked  decidedly  puzzled  and  astonished  for 
a  moment,  then  he  added,  slowly,  "  Oh,  I  see  !  I  suppose  you  knew 
the  people  who  used  to  own  this  house  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  I  know  them  now  ;  they're  the  very  best  friends  I 
have  ;  and, -if  you  please,  this  house  belongs  to  them  still,  and  they 
would  like  to  come  back  just  as  soon  as  you  can  move  your  men 
out,  and,"  noting  a  few  unfamiliar  objects  in  the  room,  "  your  furni 
ture  and  other  things.'5 

It  must  be  confessed  that  this  was  rather  a  bold  speech  for  a  little 
maid  to  venture  quite  upon  her  own  authority,  but  Hazel  had  made 
this  visit  for  no  other  reason  than  plainly  to  speak  her  mind,  and 
speak  it  she  would,  though  she  did  have  to  screw  her  courage  up  to 
the  very  highest  pitch  in  order  to  accomplish  it. 


HAZEL    SPEAKS  HER   MIND.  I9 

"Do  you  mean  to  say,  Miss  Hazel,  that  you  think  we  have  no 
right  here  ?"  questioned  the  Captain. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  Hazel  answered  warmly,  feeling,  somehow,  that  Cap 
tain  Wadsworth  was  open  to  conviction.  "  You  see  you  really  have 
no  right  here  at  all,  and  I  thought  that  as  soon  as  you  understood 
that  you  would  not  stay  another  minute." 

"  But  the  trouble  is,  I  don't  understand  it ;  the  law  says  it  be 
longs  to  me,  you  know." 

"Then  I  guess  the  law  does  not  tell  the  truth,  Captain  Wads- 
worth,  because  even  the  law  cannot  make  a  thing  so  that  isn't  so, 
can  it  ?" 

"  Why,  no,  certainly  not,  and  it  isn't  supposed  to  even  try  to  do 
that  sort  of  thing,  I  take  it." 

"  But  that's  just  what  it  does  exactly,"  said  Hazel,  and  in  her 
eagerness  she  deserted  the  little  rocker  and  came  and  leaned  on  the 
desk  near  to  the  Captain.  "  You  know,"  she  said,  confidentially, 
"  I'm  just  as  true  to  King  George  as  true  can  be,  and  I  am  awful 
sorry  his  soldiers  have  been  beaten,  and  I  don't  think  a  country 
without  a  King  is  any  good  at  all.  Sometimes  I'm  almost  ashamed 
that  I  was  born  here  ;  but  still,  some  very  nice  people,  like  Miss 
Avery  and  Starlight,  do  not  think  just  as  I  do,  and  I  think  their 
rights  ought  to  be  respected." 

These  were  pretty  big  words,  and  the  Captain  looked  as  though 
he  thought  so  ;  but  even  a  very  little  woman,  when  she  is  very  much 
in  earnest,  sometimes  finds  language  at  her  command  quite  as 
astonishing  to  herself  as  to  her  hearers.  "  Rights  ought  to  be  re 
spected" — certainly  that  did  sound  remarkable.  Hazel  herself  won 
dered  where  she  had  picked  up  so  fine  an  expression,  and  one  that 
suited  so  well. 

"  Who  is  Starlight  ?"  asked  the  Captain,  willing  to  digress  a 
little  from  the  main  point. 

"The  owner  of  this  house,"  said  Hazel,  not  willing  to  digress 
at  all. 

"  Why,  I  thought  it  used  to  belong  to  Miss  Avery ;  the  property 
certainly  stood  in  her  name."  The  Captain  was  careful  to  use  only 
the  past  tense.  According  to  his  way  of  thinking,  that  Starlight 
homestead  was  just  as  rightfully  his  as  though  he  had  bought  and 
paid  for  it. 


22  A    LOYAL  LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

And  so  Hazel  said,  "  Good-by,  Captain,"  and  the  Captain  bowed 
her  out  of  his  office  as  gallantly  as  though  she  had  been  a  little 
princess.  Four  or  five  of  the  men  had  gathered  on  the  porch  out 
side,  thinking  to  have  a  chat  with  her  when  she  should  have  fin 
ished  her  errand  with  the  Captain,  but  Hazel,  absorbed  in  her  own 
thoughts,  was  about  to  pass  them  by  without  so  much  as  a  word. 

"  Look  here,  Miss  Hazel,  aren't  you  going  to  speak  to  a  fellow?" 
one  of  the  men  called  after  her.  "Yes,  of  course  I  am,"  Hazel 
replied,  as  though  that  had  been  her  full  intention,  and,  going  back, 
held  out  her  hand  to  Sergeant  Bellows,  the  man  who  had  called  to 
her,  and  then,  as  it  seemed  to  be  expected  of  her,  shook  hands  in  a 
friendly  way  with  the  other  men,  all  of  whom  she  knew  by  name. 
But  it  was  easy  enough  for  the  dullest  among  them  to  discover  that 
her  greeting  lacked  all  its  wonted  cheeriness.  Indeed,  Hazel  had 
not  yet  learned  the  need  of  disguising  her  real  feelings,  and  always 
"carried  her  heart  on  her  sleeve,"  as  the  saying  goes,  so  that  you 
were  at  perfect  liberty  to  share  all  its  sentiments,  whether  of  joy  or 
sorrow.  So  it  was  not  strange  that  for  the  third  time  she  was 
questioned  as  to  the  reason  for  her  evident  depression.  "  Feeling  a 
little  down  this  morning,  eh  ?"  asked  Sergeant  Bellows. 

Hazel  nodded  her  head  in  assent.  "There's  nothing  an  old 
sergeant  could  do  for  you,  is  there,  Miss  Hazel  ?" 

"  Nor  a  corporal  ?"  asked  one  of  the  other  men. 

"  Nor  a  high  private  ?"  asked  another.  Hazel  took  their  offers 
of  assistance  in  perfect  good  faith,  and  would  not  have  hesitated  to 
call  upon  any  or  all  of  them,  but  she  really  did  not  see  how  they 
could  be  of  any  use  to  her,  and  shook  her  head  hopelessly. 

"  No,  I  think  not.  The  only  man  who  can  help  me  now  is 
Colonel  Hamilton,  and  I  don't  expect  very  much  of  him.  What  I 
came  down  for  was  to  ask  Captain  Wadsworth  if  he  would  not  let  the 
people  who  own  this  house  come  back  to  it  ;  but  he  does  not  think 
they  own  it  at  all  any  more,  and  I  don't  see  what  they  are  ever 
going  to  do.  How  would  you  feel,  I'd  like  to  know,"  she  asked, 
eagerly,  "  if  you  were  an  aunt  and  a  little  boy,  and  had  to  run  away 
from  your  home,  and,  when  you  wanted  to  come  back,  found  an 
English  Captain  living  in  it,  who  said  he  was  going  to  stay 
there?"  Some  of  the  men  looked  as  though  they  could  not 
possibly  tell  how  they  would  feel  if  they  were  "an  aunt  and  a  little 


HAZEL  SPEAKS  HER  MIND. 


^* 


V   « 


boy,"  but  they  were  saved  the  embarrassment  of  being  obliged  to 
answer  such  a  difficult  question  by  Hazel's  abrupt  departure?  She 
had  suddenly  spied  a  familiar  hat  lurking  behind  the  shrubbery 
near  the  gate,  and  was  off 

in    a  flash.      "  Good-by,"   she  J-^fcitifr- 

called    back,    "some    one    is  f 

waiting  for  me."  Some  one 
was  waiting  for  her  —  some 
one  had  been  waiting  for  her 
quite  awhile  and  had  grown  "•*. 

rather  impatient  in  the  wait 
ing. 

"  I  thought  you  would 
never  come,  Hazel,"  said  the 
owner  of  the  hat,  as  soon  as 
she  swept  down  upon  him 
in  his  retreat  behind  the 
bushes. 

"  Why,  i  did  not  see  you 
till  a  moment  ago.  How 
long  have  you  been  here,  and 
when  did  you  come  ?" 

"  I  came  over  on  the  ear 
liest  ferry  this  morning.  I 
pulled  an  oar  and  worked  my 
way  over.  You  know,  Ha 
zel,  I  do  not  like  to  ask  Aunt 
Frances  for  money  now  if  I 
can  possibly  help  it." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  she  an 
swered,  sadly. 

"  I  can't  tell  you  how  it 
makes  me  feel,  Hazel,  to  look 
up  at  the  old  house  there 
with  all  those  soldiers  in  it," 
said  Job,  rather  savagely, 
for  of  course  the  new  romer  "T  CAN'T  T£LL  YOU  HOW  IT  MAKES  ME  FEEL,  HA- 

i  course  t,       ie\\-com        ZEL>  T0  LOOK  up  AT  THE  OLD  HQUSE  THERE  >WITH 

Was    none     Other     than      Star-      ALL  THOSE  SOLDIERS  IN  IT." 


22  A    LOYAL  LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

And  so  Hazel  said,  "  Good-by,  Captain,"  and  the  Captain  bowed 
her  out  of  his  office  as  gallantly  as  though  she  had  been  a  little 
princess.  Four  or  five  of  the  men  had  gathered  on  the  porch  out 
side,  thinking  to  have  a  chat  with  her  when  she  should  have  fin 
ished  her  errand  with  the  Captain,  but  Hazel,  absorbed  in  her  own 
thoughts,  was  about  to  pass  them  by  without  so  much  as  a  word. 

"  Look  here,  Miss  Hazel,  aren't  you  going  to  speak  to  a  fellow?" 
one  of  the  men  called  after  her.  "  Yes,  of  course  I  am,"  Hazel 
replied,  as  though  that  had  been  her  full  intention,  and,  going  back, 
held  out  her  hand  to  Sergeant  Bellows,  the  man  who  had  called  to 
her,  and  then,  as  it  seemed  to  be  expected  of  her,  shook  hands  in  a 
friendly  way  with  the  other  men,  all  of  whom  she  knew  by  name. 
But  it  was  easy  enough  for  the  dullest  among  them  to  discover  that 
her  greeting  lacked  all  its  wonted  cheeriness.  Indeed,  Hazel  had 
not  yet  learned  the  need  of  disguising  her  real  feelings,  and  always 
"carried  her  heart  on  her  sleeve,"  as  the  saying  goes,  so  that  you 
were  at  perfect  liberty  to  share  all  its  sentiments,  whether  of  joy  or 
sorrow.  So  it  was  not  strange  that  for  the  third  time  she  was 
questioned  as  to  the  reason  for  her  evident  depression.  "  Feeling  a 
little  down  this  morning,  eh  ?"  asked  Sergeant  Bellows. 

Hazel  nodded  her  head  in  assent.  "There's  nothing  an  old 
sergeant  could  do  for  you,  is  there,  Miss  Hazel  ?" 

"  Nor  a  corporal  ?"  asked  one  of  the  other  men. 

"  Nor  a  high  private  ?"  asked  another.  Hazel  took  their  offers 
of  assistance  in  perfect  good  faith,  and  would  not  have  hesitated  to 
call  upon  any  or  all  of  them,  but  she  really  did  not  see  how  they 
could  be  of  any  use  to  her,  and  shook  her  head  hopelessly. 

"  No,  I  think  not.  The  only  man  who  can  help  me  now  is 
Colonel  Hamilton,  and  I  don't  expect  very  much  of  him.  What  I 
came  down  for  was  to  ask  Captain  Wadsworth  if  he  would  not  let  the 
people  who  own  this  house  come  back  to  it  ;  but  he  does  not  think 
they  own  it  at  all  any  more,  and  I  don't  see  what  they  are  ever 
going  to  do.  How  would  you  feel,  I'd  like  to  know,"  she  asked, 
eagerly,  "  if  you  were  an  aunt  and  a  little  boy,  and  had  to  run  away 
from  your  home,  and,  when  you  wanted  to  come  back,  found  an 
English  Captain  living  in  it,  who  said  he  was  going  to  stay 
there?"  Some  of  the  men  looked  as  though  they  could  not 
possibly  tell  how  they  would  feel  if  they  were  "an  aunt  and  a  little 


HAZEL  SPEAKS  HER  MIND. 


23 


boy,"  but  they  were  saved  the   embarrassment  of  being  obliged  to 
answer  such   a  difficult  question  by  Hazel's  abrupt  departure.     She 
had   suddenly   spied    a  familiar  hat   lurking    behind   the   shrubbery 
near   the   gate,    and   was   off 
in    a  flash.      "  Good-by,"   she 
called    back,    "some    one    is 
waiting  for  me."     Some  one  "J^ 

was  waiting  for  her  —  some 
one  had  been  waiting  for  her 

quite  awhile  and  had    grown  ~^V#< 

rather  impatient  in  the  wait 
ing.  ^  \V  •• 

"  I     thought    you    would 

never  come,  Hazel,"  said  the  ^  .'   /  .^ 

owner  of  the  hat,  as  soon  as 
she  swept  down  upon  him 
in  his  retreat  behind  the 
bushes. 

"  Why,  i  did  not  see  you 
till  a  moment  ago.  How 
long  have  you  been  here,  and 
when  did  you  come  ?" 

"  I  came  over  on  the  ear 
liest  ferry  this  morning.  I 
pulled  an  oar  and  worked  my 
way  over.  You  know,  Ha 
zel,  I  do  not  like  to  ask  Aunt 
Frances  for  money  now  if  I 
can  possibly  help  it." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  she  an 
swered,  sadly. 

"  I  can't  tell  you  how  it 
makes  me  feel,  Hazel,  to  look 
up  at  the  old  house  there 
with  all  those  soldiers  in  it," 
said  Job,  rather  savagely, 

for  of  course  the  new-comer        "  l  CAN'T  TELL  You  HOW  IT  MAKES  ME  FEEL'  HA* 
jr,  ui  course,  i,        lew-corn         ZEL>  T0  LOOK  up  AT  THE  OLD  HOUSE  THERE  WITH 

Was    none     Other     than      Star-      ALL  THOSE  SOLDIERS  IN  IT." 


24  A   LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

light  himself.     "  I'd  just  like  to   rush  right  in  and  choke  every  one 
of  Jem." 

"And  I'd  like  to  help  you,"  Hazel  replied  warmly. 

Starlight  looked  up  astonished.  It  was  something  new  for 
Hazel  to  side  against  the  Red-Coats,  and  he  gave  a  low  whistle  of 
surprise. 

"  Yes,  really,  I  would,"  Hazel  reiterated.  "If  King  George's 
men  had  beaten  you  Americans,  I  suppose  you  wouldn't  have  ex 
pected  to  get  your  home  back  again  ;  but  to  think  that  you  have 
beaten,  and  yet  that  Captain  Wadsworth  says  he  is  going  to  stay  in 
it,  and  that  a  great  lawyer,  and  one  of  your  own  officers  like 
Colonel  Hamilton,  says  he  has  a  right  to — well,  I  can't  under 
stand  it." 

"  Neither  can  I,"  said  Starlight,  indignantly;  and  both  children 
seriously  shook  their  heads  from  side  to  side,  as  there  was  no  gain 
saying  that  great  man.  By  mutual  consent  the  children  had  turned 
their  backs  on  the  homestead  and  their  faces  in  the  direction  of 
Hazel's  home. 

To  say  that,  side  by  side,  they  strolled  up  the  Bowery,  and  that 
now  and  then  Hazel  would  pause  a  moment  to  pick  a  plumy  spray 
of  asters,  growing  by  the  wayside,  must  sound  funny  enough  in  the 
ears  of  any  one  who  knows  what  the  Bowery  is  to-day.  Can  it  be 
possible  that  that  great  busy  thoroughfare,  with  its  block  after  block 
of  cheap  shops,  crowded  tenements,  dime  museums,  and  who 
knows  what,  less  than  a  hundred  years  ago  was  a  country  lane  ?  and 
where  to-day  train  after  train  goes  whizzing  by  on  its  mid-air  track, 
birds  sang  in  apple-tree  boughs  and  children  gathered  daisies  in 
spring-time  and  golden  rod  in  autumn  ?  Yes,  my  dear,  it  is 
possible;  for  who  can  measure  the  great  transforming  power  of 
even  a  single  century,  and  Father  Time  has  never  wrought  vaster  or 
more  rapid  changes  than  in  the  self-same  hundred  years  which  lie 
between  the  childhood  of  Starlight  and  Hazel,  in  1783,  and  yours  of 
to-day. 

So,  true  it  was  that  our  little  friends  strolled  up  Bowery  Lane, 
for  that  was  the  pleasantest  way  home,  and  true  it  was  that  the  lane 
was  skirted  with  orchards  and  the  gardens  of  old  Dutch  homesteads, 
where  almost  every  variety  of  autumn  flower  was  blooming,  in  a 
blaze  of  color,  in  the  early  September  weather. 


HAZEL    SPEAKS  HER  MIND.  25 

At  the  prospect  of  a  visit  from  Starlight,  Hazel  had  at  once 
abandoned  all  thought  of  an  immediate  call  upon  Lawyer  Hamilton. 
Even  that  important  matter  could  be  postponed  for  the  delight  of 
companionship  with  this  old  friend,  a  companionship  sadly  inter 
fered  with  by  all  the  untoward  circumstances  of  the  times  in  which 
they  lived. 

"  And  Colonel  Hamilton  says,"  Starlight  resumed,  after  five  or 
ten  minutes,  which  had  been  devoted  to  a  plying  of  eager  questions 
regarding  each  other's  general  welfare,  "  that  Captain  Wadsworth 
can  stay  in  our  house,  does  he?" 

"  I  don't  know  exactly  what  he  says  ;  something  like  that,  I 
guess  ;  but  I  am  going  to  find  out  for  myself,  and  ask  him  the 
reasons,  too.  I  was  going  there  this  morning  if  you  had  not  come." 

"  You  are  awfully  good,  Hazel." 

"  I'm  glad  you  think  so,  Starlight,  'cause  I  know  some  people 
who  don't,"  and  Hazel  indulged  in  a  little  sigh.  "  I  suppose  I  shall 
have  a  scolding  when  I  get  home,  this  very  morning,  for  I  sort  of 
ran  away.  I  saw  the  Albany  coach  coming,  and  I  had  to  hurry  so 
in  time  to  stop  it,  that  I  did  not  think  to  ask  Josephine's  leave  or 
anybody's." 

"  But  Josephine  saw  you  go.  That's,  the  way  I  found  you.  She 
saw  Joe  Ainsworth  help  you  on  to  the  coach,  and  I  thought  perhaps 
you'd  gone  down  to  the  homestead,  for  that's  where  you  always  used 
to  come  on  the  Albany  coach,  you  know."  It  was  Starlight's  turn 
for  a  sigh  now,  and  he  drew  such  a  heavy  one  that  it  seemed  fairly 
to  come  from  the  bottom  of  his  boots. 

"Say,  Starlight,"  said  Hazel,  suddenly,  and,  no  doubt,  with  a 
desire  to  brighten  matters  up  a  bit,  "  an  English  circus  came  to 
town  to-day.  They  open  to-morrow.  Can  you  stay  over  to 
morrow  ?" 

"  Yes,  till  the  day  after.  I  heard  about  the  circus.  I've  never 
been  to  a  circus  in  my  life,  and  I'd  give — why,  I'd  give  anything 
I  own  to  go,  and  if  that  wouldn't  do,  I  half  believe  I'd  almost 
hook  something."  The  question  of  ways  and  means  was  ever 
present  nowadays  to  poor  Job  with  his  sadly  depleted  pocket-book. 

"  I  don't  believe  you'll  need  to  hook  anything,  Starlight,"  an 
swered  Hazel,  with  an  implied  rebuke,  which  was,  of  course,  quite 
proper,  "  I  have  a  little  money  of  my  own." 


26  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"Of  course,  I  don't  mean  I  really  would,  Hazel.  I  should 
think  you'd  know  that  I'm  rather  above  that  sort  of  thing".  If  you 
don't,  you  ought  to,  by  this  time.  I  only  meant  that  I  should  very 
much  like  to  go." 

"Then  next  time  you  had  better  be  more  careful  to  say  just  what 
you  mean,  Job."  Whenever  Hazel  had  any  little  reproof  to  ad 
minister  she  thought  it  much  more  impressive  to  make  use  of  Star 
light's  solemn  little  first  name. 


CHAPTER    III. 


THE    CIRCUS,    AND    WHAT    CAME    OF    IT. 


LOWLY  out  of  the  great  ocean 
rose  the  sun  the  next  morning, 
shooting  his  long  rays  over  level 
Long  Island,  spanning  the  East 
River  and  touching  with  rosy 
light  the  hill  on  which  Captain 
Boniface  had  built  his  comfort 
able  home.  What  a  wonderful 
tale,  provided  his  memory  is 
good  and  his  eyesight  strong, 
this  same  old  sun  could  tell,  par 
ticularly  if  he  had  the  moon  to 
help  him,  for,  whether  shining 
brightly,  or  peering  through  mists  of 
heavy  clouds,  between  them  they  have 
seen  most  of  this  world's  doings.  One 
thing  is  certain,  however,  change, 
change,  change  would  be  the  theme  of 
"""*"  *i"*  all  their  story.  Qld  ocean  alone  re 
mains  always  the  same  ;  for  even  the  "  everlasting 
hills"  may  be  pierced  by  boring  tunnels  and  disfig 
ured  by  the  shafts  and  engines  of  unsightly  mines. 
And  this  that  is  true  of  the  whole  world  is  true  of  every  inhabited 
corner  of  it,  and  doubly  true  of  that  particular  corner  where  we  find 
New  York  mapped  out  to-day.  Row  upon  row  of  dwellings- 
mansion  and  hut  crowding  close  upon  one  another;  mile  after 
mile  of  stores,  warehouses,  and  every  conceivable  sort  of  structure, 
and  yet  only  a  hundred  years,  and  lo  !  there  was  none  of  it. 


28  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

Do  you  chance  to  know  where  St.  Paul's  Church  stands  on 
Broadway,  on  the  block  bounded  by  Fulton  and  Vesey  streets? 
Then  let  me  tell  you  that  no  longer  ago  than  1784  St.  Paul's  was 
on  the  very  outskirts  of  the  city.  Just  above  it  were  two  fine 
dwellings,  which  now  form  part  of  the  Astor  House,  and  a  little 
farther  on  a  highway  leading  to  the  right  bore  the  weather-beaten 
sign,  "The  Road  to  Boston,"  and  another  turning  to  the  left,  "The 
Road  to  Albany,"  and  Hazel's  home  was  a  mile  or  more  out  on 
this  Albany  road.  Beyond  were  only  open  fields,  with  here  and 
there  a  farm-dwelling  or  country  homestead,  and  an  occasional 
"  mead-house"  or  "  tea-garden,"  for  the  refreshment  of  jaded  travel 
lers,  or  pleasure-seeking  parties  from  the  town.  Nearly  on  the  site 
of  the  present  City  Hall  stood  the  almshouse,  and  in  close 
proximity  the  jail,  while  sandwiched  in  between  them  were  the 
gallows,  not  exactly  affording  what  might  be  called  a  cheery  out 
look  to  the  poor  unfortunates  obliged  to  seek  such  food  and  shelter 
as  the  almshouse  offered.  These  gallows  were  enclosed  in  a  build 
ing  shaped  like  a  Chinese  summer-house,  and  painted  in  all  the 
colors  of  the  rainbow,  as  though  trying  thereby  to  overcome 
any  mournful  associations  which  the  place  might  otherwise  possess. 
A  platform  within  this  remarkable  building  supported  various  con 
trivances  for  conveniently  "  dropping  malefactors  into  eternity," 
while  a  row  of  hooks  and  halters  adorned  the  ceiling,  so  that  at 
least  half  a  dozen  offenders  might  be  dispatched  by  the  same 
method  at  one  and  the  same  moment. 

Wall  Street,  in  1783,  was  a  street  of  residences.  Here  was  the 
bachelor  homestead  of  Daniel  McCormick,  upon  whose  stoop,  on  a 
mild  and  pleasant  afternoon,  you  were  likely  to  find  a  goodly  little 
company  of  cronies  and  toadies,  each  and  all  of  whom  made  it  a 
point  never  to  refuse  an  invitation  to  remain  to  dinner  and  enjoy 
his  excellent  pot-luck. 

The  court  end  of  the  town  lay  in  the  region  extending  from 
Pearl  Street  around  to  the  Battery,  and  up  to  Trinity  Church,  while 
the  shops  and  offices  were  confined  to  Maiden  Lane.  On  Great 
Dock  Street,  now  a  part  of  Pearl  Street,  lived  the  widow  of  John 
Lawrence,  who,  during  his  lifetime,  was  widely  known  as  "  Hand 
some  Johnnie."  There,  as  Dr.  Duer  puts  it,  in  his  "Reminiscences 
of  an  Old  Yorker,"  the  genial  widow  kept  open  house  for  her  rela- 


THE   CIRCUS,    AND    WHAT  CAME   OF  IT.  29 

tives,  or  rather  her  relatives  kept  open  house  for  themselves,  and 
were  entertained  in  the  roll  of  "  transient,  constant,  or  perpetual" 
visitors.  All  this  and  far  more  could  the  sun  of  to-day  tell  of  the 
sights  of  the  last  century;  but  on  the  morning  of  which  we  are 
writing,  he  looked  down  upon  nothing  of  greater  interest  to  the 
average  boy  and  girl  of  all  time,  than  when  he  flashed  suddenly 
upon  the  preparations  going  forward  for  the  circus  that  had  lately 
arrived  from  across  the  water,  and  because  of  whose  arrival  there 
was  a  flutter  in  all  the  child-hearts  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  town.  Some  were  fluttering  joyously  with  actual 
anticipation,  and  some  with  grave  doubts  as  to  their  gaining  even 
a  peep  at  the  wonderful  show. 

As  for  Hazel  Boniface,  she  was  not  only  up  with  the  sun,  but 
up  before  it ;  as  for  Starlight,  he  was  dressed,  and  "  trying  to  kill 
time"  a  full  hour  before  breakfast,  for  it  had  been  settled  the  pre 
vious  evening  that  they  were  to  be  allowed  to  attend  the  perform 
ance,  and  Captain  Boniface  had  slipped  the  coins  necessary  for  their 
admission  into  Starlight's  safe  keeping.  Josephine,  Hazel's  older 
sister,  was  also  early  astir,  stowing  away  the  most  inviting  of 
luncheons  within  the  snowy  folds  of  a  napkin,  which  in  turn  was 
committed  to  the  keeping  of  a  little  wicker  hamper. 

Joyous  and  beaming  the  children  set  forth,  Josephine  accom 
panying  them  as  far  as  the  gate.  "  I  wish  I  were  going  with  you," 
she  said,  as  she  held  it  open. 

"  I  almost  wish  you  were,"  Hazel  answered.  "  Almost,  but  not 
quite,"  laughed  Josephine;  "for  it  would  spoil  the  fun  a  little,  now 
wouldn't  it,  Hazel,  to  have  a  grown-up  sister  in  the  party?  But 
you  need  not  worry,  dear,  the  big  sister  must  stay  at  home  to  mind 
the  baby  sister;  it's  only  the  little  middle-sized  sister  who  can  roam 
abroad,  and  go  to  the  circus,  and  do  whatever  she  likes  all  day 
long." 

The  color  came  into  Hazel's  cheeks.  She  knew  she  did  do 
pretty  much  as  she  wished  from  week's  end  to  week's  end,  but  that 
was  not  her  fault.  If  nobody  told  her  to  do  "  things,"  it  was  hardly 
to  be  expected  she  should  do  them.  "  Will  you  go  in  my  place  ?" 
she  asked,  ruefully,  of  Josephine,  who  stood  leaning  on  the  gate 
with  a  merry,  teasing  look  in  her  gray  eyes. 

"  No,  of  course  1  won't,  dearie,  and  you  come  straight  back  and 


A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


give  me  a  kiss,  and  know  that  no  one  wishes  you  quite  such  a  jolly 
time  as  your  own  sister  Josephine." 

And    thus    speeded    on    their  way,  the    children's  figures  grew 


"WILL  YOU  GO  IN  MY  PLACE?"   SHE  ASKED,  RUEFULLY. 

smaller  and  smaller  in  the  maple-shaded  distance  of  the  roadside 
path,  and  with  a  little  sigh  Josephine  turned  back  to  her  duties 
within-doors.  There  was  a  foreboding  of  coming  evil  in  her  heart, 


THE    CIRCUS,    AND    WHAT  CAME    OF  IT.  31 

and  in  Hazel's  and  Starlight's,  too,  for  that  matter.  Children 
though  they  were,  they  were  still  old  enough  to  know,  that,  now 
that  the  war  had  ended  in  the  defeat  of  the  English,  those  who  had 
sided  with  them,  as  Captain  Boniface  had  done,  would  have  to 
suffer  for  it ;  but  for  to-day  every  worry  was  utterly  forgotten. 
Hazel  had  no  thought  for  the  coming  interview  with  Colonel 
Hamilton — which,  it  must  be  confessed,  she  rather  dreaded — nor 
Starlight  for  the  soldiers  in  the  old  homestead. 

Right  before  them  lay  all  the  delights  of  a  wonderful  English 
circus,  and  with  the  lightest  of  hearts  they  set  forth  upon  their 
happy  expedition.  Having  strolled  along  in  leisurely  fashion, 
the  old  town  clock  struck  eleven  as  they  pressed  in  through 
the  clumsy  turnstile  which  barred  the  circus  entrance,  and  the 
regular  performance  was  not  to  commence  until  one.  But  two 
hours  were  none  too  much  for  the  inspection  of  the  wonderful  side 
shows,  and  wide-eyed  they  passed  from  one  to  the  other,  instinctively 
turning  quickly  away  from  two  or  three  human  monstrosities  in  a 
close,  unsavory  tent,  to  spend  an  hour  of  intense  merriment  over 
the  antics  of  a  family  of  monkeys  in  a  cage  in  the  open  air.  In 
deed,  they  doled  out  most  of  their  luncheon  to  the  mischievous 
little  youngsters,  actually  forgetting  that  there  was  any  likelihood  of 
their  ever  being  hungry  themselves  and  repenting  of  such  liberality. 

A  great  deal  of  fuss  over  a  circus,  you  may  be  thinking,  my 
little  friend,  having  yourself  been  so  many  times  to  see  "  The 
Greatest  Show  on  Earth  ;"  but  if  you  had  lived  in  the  days  of 
Hazel  and  Starlight,  and  never  seen  a  circus  in  your  life,  nor  a 
show  of  any  kind — either  great  or  small — then,  perhaps,  you  would 
have  been  not  a  little  excited  too. 

Long  before  it  was  at  all  necessary,  and  after  much  consultation 
and  numerous  experiments  at  different  angles,  the  children  seated 
themselves  at  the  precise  point  which  they  had  concluded,  on  the 
whole,  offered  greatest  advantages,  and  then  they  impatiently 
watched  the  uncomfortable  benches  become  gradually  filled,  and 
certain  significant  preparations  going  forward  on  the  part  of  the 
gayly-liveried  lackeys. 

At  last  the  orchestra  of  three  ill-tuned  instruments  struck  up  a 
preliminary  march,  the  low,  red-topped  gates  of  the  ring  swung 
open,  and  the  gorgeous  company  pranced  in,  dazzling  and  brilliant 


32  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

indeed,  in  the  eyes  of  the  children.  What  did  it  matter  if  tinsel 
were  tarnished,  and  satins  and  velvets  travel-stained  and  bedraggled. 
They  saw  it  not.  It  was  all  glitter  and  shimmer  to  them,  and,  oh, 
those  beautiful,  long-tailed  horses  with  their  showy  trappings ! 
Hazel  silently  made  up  her  mind  on  the  spot,  that  she  would  be  a 
circus-rider  herself  as  soon  as  she  was  old  enough,  if  her  father 
would  let  her.  She  changed  her  mind  later  in  the  day,  however, 
owing  to  certain  unexpected  experiences,  and  was  thankful  enough 
that  she  had  not  openly  expressed  her  resolution  of  a  few  hours 
before. 

Midway  in  the  performance,  as  the  clown  had  announced,  for 
they  did  not  have  printed  programmes  in  those  days,  there  was  to 
be  some  lofty  tumbling  by  the  Strauss  brothers,  and  at  the  proper 
moment  in  they  came  leaping  and  jumping.  They  were  all  attired 
in  the  regulation  long  hose,  short  trousers,  and  sleeveless  jackets  of 
the  professional  tumbler,  but  it  was  easy  enough  for  any  child  to 
detect  at  a  glance  that  it  was  quite  impossible  that  they  should 
belong  to  the  same  family.  They  were  of  all  ages  and  sizes,  but  the 
youngest  performer  did  not  appear  to  be  more  than  twelve  ;  he 
was  a  handsome  little  fellow,  with  a  fine  dark  complexion,  and  from 
the  first  both  Hazel's  and  Starlight's  attention  centred  upon  him. 
He  proved  himself  the  most  agile  of  all  the  brothers,  eagerly 
watching  for  his  turn  every  time,  and  apparently  enjoying  the  per 
formance  almost  as  keenly  as  the  audience.  But  it  happened  after 
a  while,  that  when  he  had  just  accomplished  the  feat  of  turning  a 
double  somersault  from  the  top  of  a  spring-board,  he  did  not  attempt 
to  rejoin  the  other  leapers  and  tumblers,  but  crept  from  the  place 
where  he  had  landed  in  the  sawdust  to  the  edge  of  the  ring,  seated 
himself,  with  his  little  slippered  feet  straight  out  before  him,  and 
leaned  comfortably  back  against  its  rail.  The  spot  he  had  chosen 
was  directly  underneath  where  Hazel  and  Starlight  were  sitting, 
and  being  in  the  first  row  they  naturally  leaned  over  to  investi 
gate  matters.  He  sat  there  so  comfortably,  and  his  older 
brothers  seemed  so  indifferent  to  the  fact  that  he  had  dropped  from 
their  number,  that  the  children  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was 
simply  taking  a  little  permitted  rest. 

At  last  Starlight  made  so  bold  as  to  ask,  "  Say,  Straussie,  you 
didn't  hurt  yourself  any  way,  did  you  ?" 


THE   CIRCUS,    AND    WHAT  CAME   OF  IT.  33 

At  the  sound  of  Starlight's  voice  the  little  fellow  looked  up  sur 
prised.  "  Yes,  I  did,"  he  replied,  "  I  often  slip  my  knee-cap,  or 
something-  like  that  when  I  take  that  double  'sault." 

"  Does  it  hurt  you  now,"  asked  Hazel,  with  real  solicitude. 

"  Yes,  a  little.  I  can't  jump  any  more  to-day.  The  men  know 
what's  the  matter  with  me.  I'll  be  all  right  in  a  little  while." 

"Do  you  like  being  in  a  circus?"  continued  Starlight,  for  it  was 
even  more  interesting  to  converse  with  a  member  of  the  troupe 
than  to  watch  the  performance  of  the  troupe  itself. 

"I  like  the  jumping  and  tumbling;  that's  all  the  part  I  like," 
ending  with  a  sigh. 

But  it  was  not  easy  to  carry  on  a  conversation  at  the  distance 
they  were  from  each  other,  particularly  as  the  tumblers,  as  if  to  add 
to  the  excitement,  kept  up  an  almost  ceaseless  hallooing  and  shout 
ing.  Now  it  happened  that  the  ring,  with  the  exception  of  the 
gates  of  entrance,  was  formed  by  a  short  canvas  curtain  suspended 
from  a  circular  iron  rail.  Observing  this,  a  happy  thought  occurred 
to  Starlight. 

"  Look  here,  Straussie,"  he  said,  in  a  penetrating  whisper,  "  I'd 
like  to  talk  with  you.  Couldn't  you  creep  under  the  curtain  there, 
and  I'll  drop  down  between  the  seats." 

u  Yes,  I  could,"  answered  the  little  tumbler,  grasping  the  situa 
tion  at  once,  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word. 

"I  wish  I  could  drop  too,"  urged  Hazel,  longingly. 

"  No,  you  stay  where  you  are.  It  wouldn't  do,  Hazel;  folks 
might  notice,"  and  Hazel  was  sensible  enough  to  see  the  wisdom  of 
the  remark.  As  it  was,  every  one  was  by  far  too  much  absorbed  to 
take  account  of  the  fact  that  a  little  fellow  inside  the  ring  and  a 
little  fellow  outside  of  it  had  disappeared  at  one  and  the  same 
moment.  And  so  it  happened  that  all  unsuspected  a  very  im 
portant  conversation  was  carried  on,  and  a  remarkable  scheme 
planned  under  the  crowded  benches  of  that  day's  performance. 
Meanwhile  Hazel  "sat  on  pins  and  needles."  Even  uthe  most 
educated  elephant  in  the  world"  failed  to  rouse  much  interest  in  a 
little  maiden  who  knew  an  absorbing  conversation  to  be  going  on 
almost  within  earshot  and  in  which  she  longed  to  have  a  hand. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?"  asked  Starlight,  as  soon  as  he  had  dropped 
safely  to  the  dry  grass,  and  had  stretched  himself  beside  the  little 


34  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

tumbler,  who  sat  with  his  knees  gathered  close  to  him  and  his  hands 
clasped  round  them. 

"  Flutters,"  answered  the  boy. 

"  That's  not  your  real  name?'1 

"  That's  what  they  call  me." 

"You  mean  the  circus  people?" 

Flutters  simply  nodded  "yes."  Somehow  he  did  not  seem  al 
first  inclined  to  be  quite  as  communicative  as  Starlight  would  have 
wished. 

"  It  must  be  fun  to  wear  clothes  like  those,"  he  said,  after  a 
pause,  eyeing  his  new  friend  from  head  to  foot  with  evident 
admiration. 

"  Oh,  it's  kind  of  fun  for  a  while,  but  there  isn't  much  real  fun. 
Everything's  only  kind  of  fun,  and  there  isn't  any  fun  at  all  about 
most  things." 

Starlight  couldn't  quite  agree  with  these  sage  remarks,  although 
he  had  himself  of  late  been  seeing  a  great  deal  of  the  darker  side  of  life. 

"  I  guess  you're  not  very  well,  Flutters,"  he  said,  seriously  ;  "or 
perhaps  you're  tired." 

"  Oh,  I'm  well  enough,  but  I'm  not  over-happy,"  answered  the 
boy,  who,  from  little  association  with  children  and  much  with  older 
people,  had  formed  rather  a  mature  way  of  speaking. 

"  What  makes  you  feel  like  that  ?"  asked  Starlight. 

"  Oh,  lots  of  things.  There's  no  one  who  cares  for  me  'cept  to 
make  money  out  of  me.  That's  kind  of  hard  on^  a  fellow." 

"  Don't  you  get  some  of  the  money  yourself?" 

"  Not  a  penny.  You  see,  I'm  'prenticed  to  the  manager  till  I'm 
eighteen." 

"  Who   apprenticed   you  ?"    said    Starlight,   taking  care  to  speak 

correctly. 

"  The  manager,  I  suppose  ;  but  I  did  not  know  anybody  had  to 
'prentice  you.  I  thought  you  just  'prenticed  yourself  by  promising 
to  work  for  your  board." 

••  Not  a  bit  of  it.  You  oughtn't  to  have  made  such  a  promise. 
If  you  were  worth  anything  to  the  manager  you  were  worth  part  of 
the  money  you  earned.  Besides,  I  don't  think  anybody  can 
apprentice  a  boy  except  his  parents  or  his  guardian,  or  some  one 
who  has  charge  of  him." 


THE   CIRCUS,    AND    WHAT  CAME   OF  IT. 


35 


"  Well,  nobody's  had  charge  of  me  this  long  while." 

"  Is  that  big  man  with  the  great  black  moustache  the  manager?" 
asked  Starlight. 

"  Yes,  he  is,  and  he's  a  tough  one,"  and  Flutters  pressed  his  lips 
tightly  together  and  shook  his  head  by  way  of  emphasis. 

"  He  doesn't  look  kind." 

"  Folks  doesn't  look  things  what  they  never  are." 

"  Why  don't  you  cut  the  circus,  Flutters  ?" 


"WOULD  YOU,  REALLY?" 


"  You  mean  run  away  ?" 
Starlight  nodded  yes. 

"  Where  to  ?"  was  Flutters's  pointed  question. 
"  Oh,  anywhere,"  somewhat  vaguely. 

"  That's  all  very  well;  but  board,  you  know,  and  a  blanket  to  roll 
yourself  in  at  night  is  a  little  better  than  nothing  at  all." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Starlight,  and  then  sat  silent  a   few   moments, 


36  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

drawing  his  fingers,  rake  fashion,  through  the   dry  grass  in  front  of 
him,  and  evidently  thinking  hard. 

"  Flutters,"  he  said  at  last,  "  if  you  ran  away  I  believe  you'd  find 
a  home  and  somebody  to  care  for  you — we'd  look  out  for  you 
ourselves,  Aunt  Frances  and  I,  till  something  turned  up." 

"  Would  you,  really  ?"  and  Flutters  leaned  very  close  to  Star 
light  in  his  eagerness. 

"  Yes,  I'm  sure  we  would.     Will  you  do  it  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I'll  do  it  now,"  and  Flutters  got  straightway  on  to 
"  all  fours,"  as  if  he  deemed  that  the  most  silent  and  effective  mode 
of  escape,  although  the  benches  were  hardly  so  low  as  to  render  it 
necessary  for  a  boy  of  his  size. 

"  But  you'll  be  caught  in  a  minute  in  those — fixings."  Starlight 
did  not  think  there  was  enough  of  them  to  deserve  the  respectable 
name  of  clothes. 

Flutters  sat  down  in  despair.  "  Then  there's  no  use  ;  I  may  as 
well  give  it  up  if  I  have  to  go  back  for  anything."  Flutters  stood 
in  such  fear  of  the  manager  that  he  felt  sure  he  could  read  his  very 
thoughts.  He  honestly  meant  that  he  would  abandon  the  whole 
scheme  rather  than  face  Mr.  Bradshaw  with  such  a  design  in  mind, 
and  he  looked  down  at  his  spangled  slippers  and  bedraggled  tights 
in  most  woe-begone  fashion. 

"  I  have  it,"  said  Starlight,  after  a  moment's  serious  cogitation  ; 
"  wait  here  a  minute ;"  and  taking  hold  of  a  board  directly  under 
the  seat  where  he  had  sat,  he  pulled  himself  up  to  his  place  beside 
Hazel.  She  was  ready  with  a  host  of  eager  questions,  but  Starlight, 
in  the  most  imperative  of  whispers,  gave  her  quickly  to  understand 
that  there  was  no  time  for  anything  of  that  sort.  "  Just  do  as  I  tell 
you,  Hazel,"  some  one  overheard  him  say,  but  more  than  that  they 
fortunately  did  not  hear. 

A  moment  later  Starlight  disappeared,  and  a  little  red  cloak, 
which  Josephine  had  made  Hazel  carry  with  her,  had  disappeared 
too. 

Not  long  afterward,  but  it  seemed  a  very  long  while  to  Hazel, 
the  entertainment  came  to  a  close  with  a  wild  sort  of  farce,  which 
everybody  seemed  to  think  pretty  funny,  but  Hazel  did  not  so 
much  as  smile.  She  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  what  was  going 
on  ;  she  had  an  important  little  piece  of  business  ahead  of  her,  and 


THE   CIRCUS,    AND    WHAT  CAME   OF  IT.  37 

could  hardly  wait  to  be  off  and  about  it.  If  her  seat  had  not  been 
quite  in  the  middle  of  the  row,  so  that  she  would  have  been 
obliged  to  crowd  past  a  long  line  of  people,  she  simply  could  not 
have  waited ;  and  now  that  the  performance  was  actually  over,  she 
energetically  pushed  her  way  through  one  group  after  another,  lin 
gering  about  as  if  loath  to  desert  the  charms  of  the  circus,  and  was 
clear  of  the  great  tent  in  almost  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell 
Off  she  darted  down  the  road— down  Broadway  one  would  say  to 
day for  the  gateway  to  the  circus  enclosure  was  exactly  on  the  spot 

where  Niblo's  Theatre  has  for  so  many  years  set  forth  its  varied 
amusements. 

There  was  only  one  farm-house  in  the  immediate  neighborhood, 
and   thither   Hazel  flew,  bringing  up   at   the  threshold   of  its    old 
Dutch  kitchen   in    a    state  of  breathless   excitement.       'Mrs.   Van 
Wyck,"  she  cried  with  what  little  breath  she  had  left,  as  she  pe 
over  the  half  door  that  barred  her  entrance. 

"  In  a  moment,  Hazel,"  came  a  voice  from  the  depths.  ^  1  am 
putting  some  curd  in  the  cheese  press;  I'll  be  up  in  a  minute. 

The  minute  afforded  Hazel  a  much-needed  breathing  space  and 
when  a  rosy-cheeked  Dutch  Frau  emerged  from  the  horizontal  . 
way  of   the  cool,  clean-smelling    cellar,  Hazel  was    able 
known  her  request  in  quite  coherent  fashion. 

"  Oh  Mrs.  Van  Wyck,  will  you  let  me  have  a  pair  ot  tianss 
trousers'  and  some  shoes  and  a  coat,  and  please,  please  don  t  ask 
me  what  I  want  them  for  !"  for  she  saw  the  question  shaping  itsell 
on  Frau  Van  Wyck's  lips;  "  I'll  bring  them  home  safe  ow, 

and  tell  you  all  about  it." 

The  little  woman  looked  decidedly  astonished,  but  the  child  was 
so  urgent,  and  withal  such  a  little  favorite  of  hers,  that  she  could 
but  accede  to  her  request,  and  in  a  trice  Hazel  was  off  again  with 
the  coveted  articles,  in  a  snug  bundle,  swinging  from  one 
she  ran. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


, 


i 


FLUTTERS. 

T  may  seem  at  first  somewhat  improb 
able  that  Flutters  should  have  been  able 
to  make  his  escape  from  the  circus 
grounds  without  being  noticed,  but  es 
cape  he  did  under  Starlight's  cau 
tious  guidance.  Every  one  was 
still  intent  on  the  performance 
itself ;  outside  were  only  a  few 
straggling  employees  of  the  com 
pany,  and  they  were  too  much  pre 
occupied  with  the  special  duties 
assigned  to  them  to  pay  any  heed 
to  the  fact  that  a  couple  of  boys 
were  making  their  way  through 
the  grounds.  Indeed,  it  was  decidedly 
too  common  an  occurrence  to  excite 
any  suspicion.  To  be  sure,  Hazel's  cloak  con 
cealed  neither  the  head  nor  feet  of  little  Flut 
ters;  but  velvet  cap  and  satin  slippers  were  tucked  safely  away,  and 
the  absence  of  hat  and  shoes  was  by  no  means  unusual  among  the 
boyish  rabble  that  found  their  way  into  the  circus.  The  most  dan 
gerous,  because  the  most  conspicuous  move  in  their  plan  of  escape, 
would  be  the  scaling  of  the  high  board  fence,  so  they  naturally  made 
their  way  to  its  most  remote  corner.  It  needed  but  a  moment  for 
Flutters  to  scramble  to  its  top  and  drop  on  the  other  side.  Starlight 
made  more  clumsy  work  of  it.  It  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  keep  one's 
hold  on  the  slippery  inside  posts  of  the  fence,  and  when  he  was 
near  the  top  he  heard  some  one  calling  at  his  back,  which  did  not 


FL  UTTERS. 


39 


tend  to  help  matters.  Astride  the  fence  at  last,  however,  he 
glanced  down  and  saw  a  forlorn  old  man  close  at  his  heels,  one  of 
the  drudges  of  the  circus,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  things  cleared 
up  about  the  grounds 

"  Look  you  there,  you  youngsters  !  what  are  you  doing  ?"  he 
cried,  in  a  cracked  voice;  but 
Flutters  and  Starlight  were 
safe  out  of  sight  now,  and 
smiled  at  each  other  with  su 
preme  satisfaction. 

"That's  Bobbin's  voice," 
chuckled  Flutters,  as  they 
walked  off  through  the  woods 
that  grew  close  up  to  the 
circus  ;  "  he  could  get  over  a 
mountain  as  easily  as  over 
that  fence ;  he  has  the  rheu 
matics  awful  bad,  and  he's  very 
old  besides.  He's  the  only 
one  I  mind  about  leaving." 

Poor  old  Bobbin  stood 
gazing  up  at  the  fence,  and 
seemed  wisely  to  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  there  was  no 
harm  in  a  boy's  leaving  the 
circus  in  that  manner  if  he 
chose.  The  harm  would  be 
if  he  attempted  to  come  in 
that  way ;  and  so  hobbled  off 
to  his  dreary,  back-breaking 
task  of  gathering  up  the  pa 
pers  and  stray  bits  of  rubbish  constantly  accumulating  on  every  side. 
It  is  possible,  too,  that  even  if  he  had  recognized  Flutters,  and  guessed 
his  motive,  he  would  not  have  tried  to  detain  him.  He  had  once  been 
a  tumblei  himself,  and  knew  enough  of  the  trials  of  circus  life  to 
be  willing,  perhaps,  that  a  promising  little  fellow  should  escape 
them. 

The  grove    in  which  the  boys  found  themselves  was   the  only 


r 


LOOK   YOU    THERE,    YOU    YOUNGSTERS  !    WHAT   ARE 
YOU    DOING?" 


40  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

piece  of  old  forest  land  that  remained  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the 
town,  and  was  fitted  up  with  rude  tables  and  benches  for  the  use  of 
picnic  parties. 

Starlight  led  the  way  to  one  of  these  tables,  sat  down,  and  com 
fortably  rested  his  folded  arms  upon  it,  as  though  they  had  reached 
their  point  of  destination.  Here  was  where  Hazel  was  to  meet 
them  and,  while  they  waited,  the  boys  entertained  each  other  with 
little  scraps  of  their  life  histories;  but  Starlight  did  not  for  a  moment 
forget  to  keep  eye  and  ear  on  guard  for  any  one  approaching. 
There  was  a  hollow  tree  just  at  Flutters's  back,  into  which  he  could 
tumble  in  a  flash  and  be  securely  hid  should  it  become  necessary. 
But  the  sound  of  their  own  low  voices  and  the  occasional  fall  of  a 
pine  cone  or  crackling  of  a  branch  \vas  all  that  broke  the  still 
ness.  At  last  they  heard  a  footfall  in  the  distance,  but  Starlight 
knew  that  quick,  short  little  step,  and  there  was  no  need  for 
Flutters  to  take  refuge  in  the  tree.  Hazel  had  come  with  the 
precious  bundle,  that  was  all,  and  Flutters  was  straightway  arrayed 
in  Hans  Van  Wyck's  clothes,  his  dark  little  face  not  at  all  agreeing 
with  the  Dutch-looking  coat  and  trousers ;  but  they  answered  the 
purpose  of  complete  disguise,  and  what  more  could  be  wished  for? 
So  the  children  set  out  for  home  at  a  brisk  pace,  not  by  the  way 
they  had  come,  bur,  so  far  as  possible,  by  cross  cuts  and  quiet  lanes, 
to  avoid  observation.  That  their  little  tongues  moved  even  faster 
than  their  feet  was  not  at  all  strange,  for,  of  course,  they  wanted  to 
know  all  about  each  other. 

"Are  you  an  Italian,  Flutters?"  asked  Hazel,  in  the  course  of 
the  cross-questioning. 

Flutters  smiled,  and  shook  his  head  in  the  negative. 

"  Then  I  guess  you're  Spanish,"  remarked  Starlight. 

"  No,  not  Spanish." 

Hazel  and  Starlight  looked  mystified.  He  was  certainly  neither 
American  nor  English  with  that  dark  skin  of  his. 

"  What  kind  of  people  does  that  sort  of  hair  grow  on  ?"  Flut 
ters  asked,  running  his  hand  through  his  tight-curling  hair. 

"On — on  darkeys,"  answered  Hazel,  ruefully.  "  But  it  does  not 
curl  so  tight  as — as  some  darkeys,"  hoping  there  might  be  a  mistake 
somewhere. 

"  So  much  the  better  for  me,"  Flutters  answered,  cheerily. 


-<K%* 

WHAT  KIND  OF  PEOPLE  DOES  THAT  SORT  OF  HAIR  GROW  ON  ?" 


42  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"Are — you — a  regular — darkey — really?"  questioned  Starlight, 
with  a  little  pause  between  each  word. 

"Well,  I'm  what  they  call  a  mulatto;  that's  not  quite  so  bad  as 
an  out-and-out  darkey,  perhaps." 

"Oh,  Flutters,  don't  you  mind?"  asked  Hazel,  who  was  disap 
pointed  enough  that  the  hero  of  this  thrilling  adventure  should 
prove  to  be  only  a  kind  of  negro.  Hazel  had  an  idea  as,  sadly 
enough,  many  far  older  and  wiser  than  she  had  in  those  days — and, 
indeed,  for  long  years  afterward — that  negroes  were  little  better 
than  cattle,  and  that  it  Was  quite  right  to  buy  and  sell  them  in  the 
same  fashion. 

"  What  would  be  the  use  of  minding  ?"  said  Flutters,  in  response 
to  her  sympathetic  question  ;  "minding  would  not  make  things  any 
different,  Miss  Hazel." 

It  was  the  first  time  he  had  called  her  by  name,  and  Hazel, 'born 
little  aristocrat  that  she  was,  was  glad  to  discover  that  "  he  knew 
his  place,"  as  the  phrase  goes — so  far,  at  least,  as  to  put  the  Miss 
before  her  name. 

After  this  the  children  trudged  along  for  a  while  in  silence,  each 
busy  with  their  own  thoughts.  Starlight  was  beginning  to  have 
some  misgivings  as  to  the  course  he  had  taken.  It  might,  after  all, 
become  a  serious  question  what  10  do  with  Flutters.  He  began  to 
wonder  how  Aunt  Frances  would  look  when  he  should  go  back  to 
the  farm-house  next  day  with  his  little  prote'ge*  in  tow.  She  would 
be  pretty  sure  to  say,  "  What  are  you  thinking  of,  Job  dear?  It  is 
not  at  all  as  though  we  were  in  our  own  home,  you  know.  We 
cannot  allow  the  Van  Vleets  to  take  this  strange  little  boy  into 
their  home  for  our  sakes ;  though  no  doubt  they  would  be  willing 
to  do  it." 

Yes,  the  more  he  thought  of  it,  the  more  he  felt  sure  that  would 
be  just  what  she  would  say  ;  strange  that  all  this  had  not  occurred 
to  him  before,  and  a  little  sickening  sensation — half  presentiment, 
half  regret — swept  over  him.  So  it  was  that  Starlight  trudged 
along  in  silence,  for,  of  course,  such  thoughts  as  those  could  not 
be  spoken  with  Flutters  there  to  hear  them. 

As  for  Hazel,  she  was  turning  over  a  fine  little  scheme  of  her 
own  in  her  mind.  She  was  a  hopeful  little  body,  and  it  did  not 
take  long  for  her  to  recover  from  the  despair  into  which  the  dis- 


PL  UTTERS.  43 

covery  of  Flutters's  nationality  had  thrown  her.  "  Why,  look  here," 
she  thought  to  herself,  "  I  believe  I'm  glad  he's  a  darkey  after  all. 
It  was  awful  cute  to  hear  him  say  '  Miss  Hazel;'  how  nice  it  would 
be  to  have  him  for  a  sort  of  body-servant,  just  as  so  many  officers 
have  body-servants !  He  could  brush  my  clothes,  and  groom  the 
pony,  and  tend  to  my  flower  garden,  and  just  stand  'round,  ready  to 
do  whatever  I  should  wish ;"  and  so  it  was  that  Hazel  trud^d 
along  in  silence,  for  she  thought  it  wiser  not  to  announce,  as  yet, 
the  exact  nature  of  her  thoughtful  meditation. 

And  Flutters — well,  it  would  have  been  hard  to  tell  about  what 
he  was  thinking.  He  was  a  most  sensitive  little  fellow,  and  strong 
and  intense  were  the  emotions  that  often  played  through  his  hthe 
frame,  so  strong  and  intense  at  times  as  to  find  no  other  expression 
than  in  a  perceptible  little  tremble  from  head  to  foot ;  it  was  this 
peculiarity  that  had  won  for  him  the  expressive  name  of  "  Flutters" 
among  the  circus  people.  Now,  of  course,  his  state  of  mind  was 
joyous  and  satisfied.  Kind  friends  and  a  home  in  this  new  land ! 
What  more  could  be  desired,  and  the  happiest  look  played  over  his 
handsome  face,  for  Flutters  was  handsome,  and  the  dark  olive  com 
plexion  was  most  to  be  thanked  for  it ;  but  the  light  went  out  of 
his  face  when,  after  a  while,  he  glanced  toward  Starlight  and  saw 
his  troubled  look. 

Instantly  he  divined  its  cause.  "Are  you  sorry  you  took  me?" 
he  asked,  coming  to  an  abrupt  standstill  in  the  brier-hedged  lane. 

"No,  not  exactly;"  Starlight  was  betrayed  into  a  partial  con 
fession  of  the  truth  by  the  suddenness  of  the  question. 

Oh,  how  that  hurt  poor  little  Flutters,  with  his  sensitive  tem 
perament  ! 

"  It  is  not  too  hte,"  he  said,  turning  and  looking  in  the  direction 
they  had  come;  "I  think  I  can  find  my  way  back.  They'd  never 
know  I'd  regular  runned  away;"  but  there  was  a  mistiness  in 
the  bright  little  darkey  eyes,  and  an  actual  ache  in  the  poor  little 
heart. 

"  Flutters,  /am  not  sorry  then,"  said  Hazel,  warmly;  and  laying 
a  firm  hand  on  each  shoulder,  she  turned  him  right  about  face  again 
in  the  direction  of  her  own  home.  "Just  you  trust  to  me,  Flutters, 
and  you'll  never  be  sorry  you  ran  away  from  that  miserable  old 
circus — never." 


44  A    LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

And  now,  so  completely  was  all  gloom  dispelled  by  these  kind 
words,  that  back  in  a  flash  came  the  glad  look  into  Flutters's  face, 
and  from  that  moment  he  was  Hazel's  sworn  servant.  Starlight 
looked  rather  ashamed  of  himself,  but,  after  all,  his  fears  had 
some  foundation,  and  he  was  thankful  enough  thus  to  have  Hazel 
take  matters  into  her  own  hands,  and  more  than  share  the  responsi 
bility  The  sun  was  already  down  as  the  children  neared  the 
house,  standing  in  clear-cut  outline  against  the  September  sky. 
There  were  no  clouds,  only  a  marvellous  gradation  of  color,  shading 
imperceptibly  from  the  dark,  *dark  blue  of  the  river  and  the  hills 
beyond,  up  into  the  red  glow  of  the  sunset,  and  then  again  by  some 
subtle  transformation  into  a  wonderful  pale  turquoise  high  over 
head. 

It  was  indeed  a  beautiful  fall  evening,  and  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Boniface  and  Josephine,  seated  on  the  wide,  pillared  porch,  were 
waiting  for  the  coming  of  the  children,  and  the  exciting  narrative 
that  was  sure  to  follow.  "  Kate,  the  bonny-face  baby,"  as  they  used 
to  call  her,  was  there  too,  a  sunny,  winsome  little  daughter,  almost 
three  years  old,  and  Harry  Avery  besides,  Job  Starlight's  cousin, 
a  good-looking  young  fellow,  and  who  lately  had  managed  to 
spend  a  good  deal  of  time  at  the  Bonifaces.  He  had  sailed  over 
that  morning  from  Paulus  Hook  (which,  by  the  way,  was  the  old 
name  for  Jersey  City)  with  a  fine  little  plan  in  mind  for  the  day — a 
plan  which  he  had  already  promised  Hazel  should  some  time  be 
carried  out ;  but  the  absence  of  the  children  had  made  it  necessary 
to  postpone  it  for  at  least  twenty-four  hours.  This  Harry  Avery 
was  the  oldest  of  a  varied  assortment  of  little  brothers,  and  his  home 
was  in  New  London,  Connecticut.  But  two  years  before  he  had 
enlisted  as  a  volunteer  on  board  a  brig  named  "  The  Fair  American," 
and  not  one  of  the  little  brothers  had  ever  had  a  sight  of  the  big 
brother  since  He  had  had  a  sorry  enough  time  of  it,  too,  for  eigh 
teen  months  of  the  twenty-four  since  he  left  home  had  been  passed 
in  the  prison-ship  "Jersey,"  and  he  had  only  been  released  within 
the  last  few  weeks,  when  the  success  of  the  American  armies  com 
pelled  the  English  to  discharge  all  their  prisoners  of  war.  The  old 
ship  where  so  many  brave  men  had  lost  their  lives  by  privation  and 
disease  now  lay  a  great  deserted  hulk  in  the  waters  of  Wallabout 
Bay,  and  what  Harry  had  come  over  to  propose  was  a  sail  over  to 


FL  UTTERS.  45 

have  a  look  at  her.  He  knew  it  would  interest  the  children 
immensely,  and  he  had  proposed  to  Mrs.  Boniface  that  Josephine 
should  go  with  them,  and  Josephine,  only  too  glad  to  fall  in  with 
any  plan  that  involved  being  out  on  the  water,  had  that  morning 
concocted  some  very  delicious  little  iced  cakes  with  a  view  to  the 
luncheon  they  would  take  with  them  on  the  morrow.  Mean 
while,  the  children  were  almost  at  the  gate.  "  Why,  there's  Cousin 
Harry !"  exclaimed  Starlight,  whose  eyes  were  good  at  a  long  range. 

11  So  it  is,"  said  Hazel,  excitedly;  and  when  they  had  passed  a  few 
steps  farther  on,  she  added,  "  Now,  Flutters,  this  is  the  best  place 
for  you  to  stop,  and  remember,  when  you  hear  me  call,  come  quick 
as  anything."  Flutters  smiled  assent,  and  stepped  into  the  deeper 
shadow  of  one  of  the  maples  that  edged  the  road. 

"  Well,  here  you  are  at  last,"  called  Captain  Boniface  a  few 
moments  later  from  where  he  sst  smoking  in  a  great  easy-chair  on 
the  porch. 

"  Yes,  here  we  are,"  answered  Starlight,  and  they  marched  up  the 
path  and  took  their  seats  on  the  porch,  Hazel  having  first  kissed 
the  family  all  round,  not  at  all  reluctantly  including  "  Cousin  Harry," 
for  his  prison  experience  made  him  a  wonderful  hero  in  her  eyes. 

Of  course  they  right  away  began  to  give  an  account,  interrupted 
by  a  good  many  questions,  of  all  they  had  seen  and  done.  Mrs. 
Boniface  thought,  and  thought  rightly,  that  she  detected  a  little 
sense  of  disappointment  in  their  description,  but  did  not  know  that 
that  was  easily  -accounted  for  by  the  insight  they  had  had  into  the 
inner  workings  of  a  circus.  They  had  indeed  been  greatly  impressed 
with  the  velvet  and  spangles,  but  only  until  they  had  learned 
through  Flutters  what  heavy  hearts  velvet  and  spangles  could^  cover. 

Finally,  at  the  close  of  quite  a  vivid  description  on  Hazel's  part 
of  the  grand  entrance  march,  which  had  proved  to  both  the  children 
the  most  impressive  feature,  Harry  Avery  remarked,  just  by  way 
of  taking  some  part  in  the  conversation,  "  that  they  ought  to  have 
brought  a  bit  of  the  circus  home  with  them  for  the  benefit  of  people 
who  had  not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  see  it."  Could  there  have 
been  a  better  opportunity  for  the  introduction  of  Flutters  ? 

"We  did  bring  a  bit  of  it  home,"  cried  Hazel;  and  then,  stepping 
to  the  edge  of  the  porch,  she  called,  "  Flutters,  Flutters"  at  the  top 
of  her  strong  little  lungs.  Of  course  the  Bonifaces  looked  on 


FLUTTERS'S  INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FAMILY. 


FL  UTTERS.  47 

astonished  at  this  performance,  while  Starlight,  from  suppressed 
excitement,  bit  his  lip  till  he  almost  made  the  blood  come;  but  in  a 
second,  head  over  heels  in  a  series  of  somersaults  up  the  path, 
bounded  a  remarkable  little  creature  in  satin  slippers,  velvet  cap  and 
all,  as  real  a  bit  of  a  circus  as  Cousin  Harry  or  any  one  else  could 
have  desired.  The  little  tumbler  was,  of  course,  acting  under  orders, 
and  brought  up  at  the  step  of  the  porch  with  the  most  beaming 
smile  imaginable,  and  a  most  gracious  little  bow. 

"  Come  right  up,  Flutters,"  was  Hazel's  reassuring  invitation,  and 
nothing  abashed,  but  still  beaming  and  smiling,  so  great  was 
his  confidence  in  Hazel,  Flutters  mounted  the  steps,  swung  himself 
into  the  hammock  that  was  strung  across  the  porch,  and  drew  the 
netted  meshes  close  about  him,  as  though  conscious  of  the  scarcity 
of  his  apparel. 

There  was  a  pause  for  a  moment — that  is,  no  word  was  spoken, 
but  the  four  pairs  of  eyes  belonging  to  Captain  and  Mrs,  Boniface 
and  Josephine  and  Harry  were  riveted  upon  Hazel,  asking  as 
plainly  as  words,  "  What  'does  this  mean  ?"  while  Starlight's  eyes 
were  urging  her  in  an  imploring  fashion  to  tell  about  it  all  right 
away.  As  for  Flutters,  the  complacent,  trustful  gaze  with  which  he 
regarded  his  little  benefactress  implied  that  he  was  sure  she  would 
proceed  to  explain  matters  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  everybody. 
Meantime  little  Kate  looked  on  in  admiring  wonder,  but  fortunately 
her  pretty  head  did  not  need  to  trouble  itself  with  "explanations  of 
things."  She  only  knew  that  that  little  fellow  in  the  hammock  was 
"  awfully  funny."  and  extended  her  pretty  hands  toward  him  as 
though  she  would  very  much  like  to  touch  him. 

"  Well,"  Hazel  began  at  last  with  much  the  same  air  as  a 
veritable  showman,  "  this  little  boy  is  named  Flutters,  and  he 
did  belong  to  the  circus,  but  he  does  not  belong  to  it  any  more. 
He  has  run  away,  and  we've  helped  him  to  do  it.  Somehow  he's 
quite  alone  in  the  world,  and  he  has  to  s'port  himself,  so  he  joined 
the  circus  'cause  he  found  he  could  do  what  the  other  tumblers  did, 
and  'cause  he  heard  they  were  coming  to  America.  But  he  has 
not  been  at  all  happy  in  the  circus,"  and  Hazel,  pausing  a  moment, 
looked  toward  Flutters  for  confirmation  of  this  sad  statement,  and 
Flutters  bore  witness  to  its  truth  by  gravely  shaking  his  head  from 
side  to  side.  Indeed  all  through  her  narration  it  was  most  amusing 


48  A    LOYAL    LITTLE  RtiD-COAT. 

to  watch  his  expression,  so  perfectly  did  it  correspond  with  every 
word  she  spoke.  Little  folk  and  old  folk  have  a  fashion  of  letting 
each  passing  thought  write  itself  legibly  on  the  face.  It  is  only  the 
strong  "in-between"  folk  who  take  great  care  that  no  one  shall  ever 
know  what  they  chance  to  he  thinking  about. 

By  this  time  Starlight  began  to  show  a  desire  to  take  a  share 
in  the  telling  of  the  story,  but  Hazel  would  none  of  it.  She 
thought,  perhaps  unjustly,  that  he  had  proved  somewhat  of  a 
coward  in  the  latter  part  of  the  transaction  ;  at  any  rate,  he  himself 
had  pushed  her  to  the  front,  and  there  she  meant  to  stay.  "  No,  he 
has  not  been  at  all  happy,"  she  continued  ;  "  indeed,  the  manager 
has  often  been  very  cruel  to  him ;  but  I  will  tell  you  about  that 
another  time"  (for  her  eyes  were  growing  a  little  tearful  at  the 
mere  remembrance  of  some  things  Flutters  had  told  them);  "and 
the  way  we  came  to  know  about  it  was  this  :  sometimes  when 
Flutters  takes  a  great  jump  from  the  spring-board  and  turns  a 
somersault  two  times  in  the  air,  he  slips  his  knee-cap — that's  what 
you  call  it,  Flutters,  isn't  it?"  (Flutters  nodded  yes),  "  and  then  he 
has  to  slip  it  back  again  himself,  and  it  hurts  a  good  deal,  so  that  he 
can't  jump  any  more  for  a  while.  Well,  to-day  he  slipped  it,  and 
then  he  crawled  over  underneath  where  we  sat,  and  we  talked  with 
him  a  little  ;  then  Starlight  told  him  to  creep  under  the  benches 
when  no  one  was  looking,  and  Starlight  dropped  down  between  the 
seats  and  talked  with  him  some  more." 

"  And  then  we  arranged,"  Starlight  now  interrupted  in  such  an 
unmistakably  determined  manner  that  Hazel  allowed  him  to  con 
tinue,  "  how  he  should  run  away,  and  he  didn't  even  go  back  for 
his  clothes,  because  he  says  that  the  manager  can  almost  see  what  a 
fellow's  thinking  about,  and  he  didn't  dare.  So  when  we  had  fixed 
everything  I  climbed  up  to  Hazel  and  told  her  what  she  was  to  do, 
and  then  I  dropped  down  again,  and  Flutters  put  on  Hazel's  cloak 
so  as  to  cover  him  up  a  little,  and  we  scooted.  We  carne  near 
being  found  out  once,  but  we  got  over  the  great  fence  safe  at  last 
and  into  Beekman's  woods.  There  Hazel  was  to  meet  us  with 
some  of  Hans  Van  Wyck's  clothes,  if  she  could  get  them0" 

"And  I  did  get  them,"  chimed  in  Hazel,  for1  it  was  surely  her 
turn  once  more,  "and — but,  oh  !"  stopping  suddenly,  "the  clothes! 
Starlight,  do  hurry  and  get  them,  or  some  one  coming  along  the 


FLUTTERS.  49 

road  may  run  off  with  them."  Starlight  obeyed,  frightened  enough 
at  the  thought  of  the  possible  loss  of  the  borrowed  articles,  and 
quickly  returning  with  them  to  the  great  relief  of  both  Hazel  and 
himself. 

Then  the  story  went  on  again,  turn  and  turn  about,  Flutters 
gaining  courage  to  join  in  now  and  then,  till  at  last,  when  the 
twilight  had  given  place  to  the  sort  of  half  darkness  of  a  starlight 
night,  and  the  fire-flies  were  flashing  their  little  lanterns  on  every 
side,  they  had  told  all  there  was  to  tell,  and  three  foot-sore  little 
people  confessed  they  were  tired  and  sleepy  and  hungry,  and  glad 
enough  to  ^  go  indoors  and  do  justice  to  a  most  inviting  little 
supper,  which  Josephine  had  slipped  away  some  time  before  to 
prepare. 

'  Bonny  Kate"  (as  she  was  called  more  than  half  the  time,  after 
a  certain  wilful  but  very  charming  young  woman  in  one  of 
Shakespeare's  great  plays)  had  long  ago  fallen  asleep,  and  lay  just 
wherever  mother,  running  indoors  for  a  moment,  had  stowed  her 
away  in  a  corner  of  the  great  hair-cloth  sofa  in  the  dining-room. 
One  pretty  hand  was  folded  under  her  rosy  cheek,  and  such  a  merry 
smile  played  over  her  sweet  face  !  She  surely  must  have  been 
dreaming  of  a  remarkable  little  fellow,  in  beautiful  velvet  and 
spangles,  coming  head  over  heels  up  a  garden  path. 


CHAPTER   V. 


CAPTAIN  BONIFACE  RECEIVES  AN  ANGRY  LETTER. 

rT  is  one  thing  to  help  a  much-abused 
and  unhappy  little  member  of  a 
circus  troupe  to  run  away  from 
his  unhappy  surroundings ;  it 
is  quite  another  thing  to  provide 
for  all  his  future,  particularly  if, 
like  Flutters,  he  has  not  a  penny 
to  his  name  nor  a  stitch  to  his 
back,  none  more  serviceable,  that 
is,  than  the  ring  costume  of  a 
high  and  lofty  tumbler.  And 
so  it  was  that  Mrs.  Boniface 
and  Josephine  and  Harry  sat 
up  well  into  the  night,  laugh 
ing  heartily  now  and  then  over 
the  funny  side  of  the  children's 
adventure,  but  talking  gravely 
enough  most  of  the  time  of  its  more  serious  side. 

"  As  far  as  I  can  make  out,"  said  Harry,  "Starlight  rather 
expected  to  bring  Flutters  over  to  the  farm  to-morrow  and  ask 
Aunt  Frances  to  care  for  him,  at  least  till  he  found  somebody  else 
who  would.  I  imagine  his  heart  rather  failed  him  later,  as  it  ought 
to.  Aunt  Frances  has  enough  to  bother  her  at  present." 


fellow 


"  But  you  don't  blame  the  children  for  helping  the  poor  little 
3W,  do  you?"  said  Josephine,  warmly;  "I  think  almost  anyone 


would  have  done  the  same  thing  under  the  same  circumstances. 

"Very  likely,  Miss  Josephine,  but  that  doesn't  dispose  of  the 
troublesome  question,  What  is  now  to  be  done  with  him  ?" 


CAPTAIN  BONIFACE  RECEIVES  AN  ANGRY  LETTER.      51 

"  Unfortunately,  there  are  questions  to  be  met  more  troublesome 
than  that,"  said  Captain  Boniface,  joining  for  the  first  time  in  the 
conversation,  and  he  had  only  too  good  reason  for  speaking  as  he 
did.  Early  in  the  evening  a  letter  had  been  brought  him,  to  which 
no  one  had  paid  any  attention.  It  was  a  daily  occurrence  for  a 
messenger  to  turn  in  at  the  gate  with  a  note  "for  the  Captain,  since 
he  had  been  for  the  last  eight  years  the  principal  furnisher  of  sup 
plies  to  the  English  soldiers  stationed  in  the  city,  and  had  need 
both  to  write  and  receive  many  letters.  Indeed,  so  loyal  had  he 
been  to  King  George  that,  at  the  very  commencement  of  the 
Revolution,  he  had  joined  the  English  army,  but  had  had  the 
misfortune  to  be  very  seriously  wounded  in  the  first  battle  that  was 
fought.  When  at  last,  after  weeks  of  constant  suffering,  he  was 
able  to  be  moved,  General  Gage,  under  whom  he  served,  had  con 
trived  to  send  him  home  by  easy  stages  along  the  Boston  post-road, 
under  protection  of  an  English  escort;  and  Captain  Boniface  always 
declared,  and  no  doubt  he  was  right  about  it,  that  nothing  short  of 
his  wife's  careful  nursing  would  ever  have  brought  him  through. 
But  after  that  it  was  out  of  the  question  for  him  to  rejoin  the  army, 
so  he  must  needs  stay  quietly  at  home  and  aid  the  King's  cause  as 
best  he  could  by  helping  to  feed  the  King's  soldiers.  All  this,  of 
course,  had  made  enemies  of  most  of  the  Captain's  old  friends — 
Harry  Avery  was  almost  the  only  exception;  and  now  that  the 
Colonies  had  been  successful,  matters  were  looking  pretty  serious 
for  him  and  for  every  American  who  had  sided  with  the  King. 
The  note  that  had  just  been  brought  to  him  proved  a  very 
threatening  one.  It  as  much  as  ordered  him  to  leave  the  country, 
saying  "that  there  was  but  one  safe  course  for  him  and  his,  and  that 
was  to  be  gone  instantly;  that  New  York  had  no  further  use  for 
him ;  that  the  sooner  her  streets  and  coffee-houses  were  rid  of  him 
the  better,  and  that  he  would  simply  be  taking  his  life  in  his^  hands 
if  he  stayed."  It  was  truly  a  terribly  alarming  letter,  but  Captain 
Boniface,  knowing  that  'sooner  or  later  his  wife  and  Josephine 
would  have  to  know  about  it,  now  broke  in  upon  the  conversation 
and  read  it  to  them. 

"  Who  has  dared  to  write  you  that  ?"  asked  Mrs.  Boniface. 

"Four  old  friends,  Mary;  that  is  the  saddest  part  of  it." 

Mrs.   Boniface  could    hardly  believe  she  heard  aright,  as  Jose- 


52  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

phine,  taking    the  letter  from    her  father's    hand,  read    the    names 

aloud. 

Mrs.  Boniface  sat  pale  and  silent,  looking  straight  before  her, 
and  not  hearing  another  word  that  was  said.  She  knew  her  husband 
well  enough  to  feel  assured  that  no  such  letter  would  move  him  a 
step  from  his  home.  Not  he!  He  would  remain  and  Jive  the 
bitter  persecution  down.  But  would  he  be  allowed  to  live  it  down? 
There  were  cruel  words  in  that  letter.  "  By  remaining  you  simply 
take  your  life  in  your  hands,"  it  said,  and  the  terrible  threat  sent  all 
sorts  of  dread  possibilities  thronging  through  her  mind. 

With  anxious  faces,  and  quick-beating  hearts,  Josephine  and  her 
mother  listened,  as  Harry  Avery  and  the  Captain  talked  late  into  the 
nio-ht  It  was  a  great  comfort  to  realize  that  although  Harry  was  a 
Whicr  and  a  strong  one,  too,  he  did  not  harbor  any  bitter  feeling 
against  them.  "  Perhaps,"  thought  Josephine  gladly,  ' 

others  like  him."  •     j  '  •     i 

It  seemed  as  though  Harry  must  have  seen  the  gratitude  in  her 
expressive  eyes,  as  he   continued   again   and   again   to   reassure  the 
Captain  of  his  full  sympathy,  and   his  determination  to  be 
ance  to  him  in  every  possible  way.  . 

"Well  what  will  you  do  about  it,  father?  Josephine  asked, 
as,  just  at  midnight,  she  leaned  over  his  chair  to  say  good-night  ^ 

"  Do  about  it,  child  ?"  he  said,  taking  her  hands  in  both  c  is, 
"  Why,  stay  just  where  I  am  !" 

Mrs   Boniface  shook  her  head  gravely,  as  she  and  Josephine  left 
the  room  together.     She  had  knoxvn    so  well    beforehand 
would  say  exactly  that. 


CHAPTER   VI. 


OFF    FOR    THE    PRISON-SHIP. 


HAT  a  queer  sort  of  thing 
it  is,  this  regularly  going 
to  sleep  and  waking  up 
again  once  in  every 
twenty-four  hours  ;  but 
people  who  have  had  a 
little  experience  in  not 
going  to  sleep  regularly, 
and  in  waking  up  at  most 
unheard-of  and  irregular 
hours,  will  tell  you  that 
that  experience  is  a  deal 
queerer,  and  not  so  pleas 
ant  by  half.  Some  of  the 
little  folk  who  have  need 
to  be  coaxed  and  urged 
to  bed  six  nights  out  of 
the  seven,  would  hardly 
dare  to  fret,  I  imagine. 

O  7 

if  they  only  knew  that 
to  be  a  sound  sleeper  is  an  accomplishment  sorely  envied  by 
some  of  those  grown-up  people'  who  may  sit  up  as  late  as  they 
choose.  And  if  one  of  those  wakeful,  grown-up  people  should 
some  day  ask  you,  "  What  is  the  secret  of  your  sound  sleeping, 
my  little  friend  ?"  just  tell  them  that  you  think  it  is  because  you 
do  not  worry.  Then  if  they  sr.y,  "  That's  all  very  well ;  children 
have  no  need  to  worry,  they  have  fathers  and  mothers  to  lean 
upon ;"  tell  them  that  they,  too,  have  a  Father,  One  far  more 


54  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  £  ED-CO  AT. 

kind  and  loving  than  any  earthly  father,  and  that  they  could  lie 
down  at  night  as  free  from  worry  as  any  child  if  they  would ; 
and  who  knows  but  they  will  learn  a  blessed  lesson  from  you  that 
will  be  well  worth  the  learning. 

Now  this  little  reverie  has  all  beep  suggested  by  the  fact  that  the 
Boniface  household  was  waking  up,  all  save  old  Dinah,  the  cook,  for 
she  had  been  up  for  an  hour  or  more.  She  had  once  been  Hazel's 
nurse,  and,  since  the  beginning  of  the  war,  was  the  only  servant  the 
Bonifaces  could  afford  to  keep.  How  comfortable  she  made  them, 
that  faithful  old  Dinah,  so  that  all  one  had  to  do  was  to  waken 
and  wash,  and  brush  and  dress,  and  then  sit  down  to  steaming 
coffee,  delicate  rolls,  and  the  most  savory  little  rasher  of  bacon, 
which  Dinah  always  added  as  a  "  relisher,"  as  she  called  it,  to  the 
more  substantial  part  of  the  breakfast.  Yes,  they  were  waking,  all 
of  them,  from  anxious  Captain  Boniface  to  happy  little  Flutters,  for 
Dinah's  vigorous  ringing  of  the  rising  bell  had  thoroughly  done  its 
work. 

Each  busy  brain  was  taking  up  again  the  manifold  threads  of 
thought  which  had  slipped  from  its  hold  when  sleep  had  stolen 
across  it  so  gently  the  night  before.  Captain  Boniface  instantly 
remembered  the  angry  letter,  as,  of  course,  did  Mrs.  Boniface  and 
Josephine,  and  so  their  waking  was  rather  heavy  hearted.  Harry 
instantly  remembered  it  too,  but  his  second  thought  was  of  the 
pretty  sail-boat  moored  down  at  the  Boniface  wharf,  and  of  the  plan 
for  the  day,  and  he  was  glad  to  open  his  eyes  on  blue  skies  and  the 
sunshine  that  flooded  his  eastward  room.  Flutters  woke  with  a 
smile.  Indeed,  he  doubted  if  he  should  ever  do  anything  but  smile 
again,  so  sure  was  he  that  he  had  turned  a  very  happy  corner  in  his 
life.  Starlight  roomed  with  Flutters,  and  his  first  thought  when  he 
opened  his  eyes  was  how  they  were  to  manage  to  return  those 
clothes  of  Hans  Van  Wyck's,  that  Flutters  was  getting  into  with 
such  an  air  of  complacent  ownership.  Hazel's  little  mind  took  its 
first  morning  flight  in  the  same  direction  as  Harry  Avery's.  The 
sail-boat,  the  bay  sparkling  in  the  sunshine,  the  visit  to  the  old 
prison-ship — it  all  meant  so  much  to  her  enthusiastic,  pleasure-loving 
temperament.  A  certain  uncomfortable  and  premeditated  call 
upon  Colonel  Hamilton  could  easily  be  postponed  to  an  indefinite 
future,  with  such  delightful  anticipations  in  the  definite  present. 


OFF  FOR    THE   PRISON-SHIP. 


55 


16  It  seems  heartless  to  be  going  off  for  a  day's  jaunt,  when  father 
has  so  much  to  trouble  him,"  Josephine  said,  when,  soon  after 
breakfast,  the  little  party  of  five,  basketed  and  equipped,  were 
starting  down  to  the  wharf. 

"  Not  at  all,  Josephine,"  answered  her  sweet-faced  mother,  hold 
ing  bonny  Kate  by  the  hand  as  she  spoke.  "  We  will  try  and 
keep  dear  old  papa  cheery,  won't  we,  little  daughter?"  then,  seeing 
that  Josephine  still  lingered,  as  though  reluctant  to  go,  she  added, 
cheerily,  "  nothing  would  be  gained  by  your  staying,  Josephine. 


SAILING  OUT  TO  THE  "JERSEY." 

Your  father  has  some  office  work  that  will  keep  him  in  the  house, 
so  you  can  think  of  him  as  safe  at  home  all  day,  and  we  are  both 
of  us  glad  enough  to  have  you  enjoy  a  little  change."  So,  some 
what  relieved  in  her  mind,  Josephine  hurried  down  and  joined  the 
Others,  and  soon  the  "  Gretchen,"  with  her  white  sail  spread  to  the 
crisp  morning  breeze,  sped  out  on  the  river,  fairly  dancing  along 
the  crests  of  the  white  caps  that  splashed  against  her  prow  with 
such  a  continuous  and  merry  little  thump  and  splutter. 

Wind  and  tide  favored  them,  and  Harry  was  an  excellent  sailor, 
so  that  in  a  comparatively  short  time  they  had  left  the  waters  of 
the  Hudson  behind  them,  had  rounded  Fort  George,  the  Battery 


56  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

of  to-day,  and  were  headed  up  the  East  River,  with  New  York  on 
the  one  side,  and  the  then  scattered  town  of  Brooklyn  on  the  other. 
Skilfully  tacking  in  long  slants  from  shore  to  shore,  the  wharves 
and  shipping  were  soon  exchanged  for  the  sloping  banks  of  Man 
hattan  Island  on  the  left,  and  of  Long  Island  on  the  right,  and 
then  suddenly  the  dismasted  hulk  of  the  old  "Jersey"  loomed  up 
before  them. 

She  was  a  dreary  enough  looking  object  to  any  one,  but  if,  like 
Harry,  you  had  been  a  prisoner  aboard  of  her  for  eighteen  long 
months,  you  would,  like  him,  no  doubt,  have  shuddered  at  the  sight 
of  her.  Josephine  shuddered  too.  "  Oh,  do  not  let  us  go  any 
nearer!"  she  said. 

"All  right,"  was  Harry's  quick  response,  for,  in  point  of  fact, 
nothing  pleased  him  better  than  to  comply  with  Josephine's 
slightest  wish,  so  the  "Gretchen"  veered  off  again. 

"  Oh  !  can't  we  go  aboard?"  cried  Flutters,  with  a  world  of  dis 
appointment  in  his  tone,  for  in  imagination  he  had  already  scaled 
the  gangway  ladder  that  hung  at  her  larboard  side,  and  turned 
more  than  one  somersault  on  the  wide  sweep  of  her  upper  deck. 

''  Why,  no,  child  !"  answered  Hazel,  who  was  fast  assuming  a 
most  patronizing  air  toward  her  little  protege ;  "  no  one  would  think 
of  going  aboard  of  her,  would  they,  Cousin  Harry?" 

"Why,  why  not?"  Flutters  asked,  half-impatiently,  for  Harry, 
giving  his  attention  for  the  moment  to  the  management  of  the 
boat,  did  not  at  once  reply. 

"  Because,"  he  said,  finally,  "  there  has  been  far  too  much  sick 
ness  in  that  old  hulk  for  any  one  to  safely  venture  aboard  of  her; 
she  has  been  responsible  for  the  lives  of  eleven  thousand  men.  I 
doubt  if  the  strongest  and  longest  of  north  winds  could  ever  blow 
her  free  from  the  fever  that  must  be  lurking  in  her  rotten  timbers." 

That  was  a  new  phase  of  the  matter  to  Flutters,  and  he  subsided 
at  once  into  thoughtful  silence. 

"  I  think  this  would  be  a  good  place  to  anchor,"  suggested 
Harry,  but  waited  a  moment  till  Josephine  had  given  her  consent 
before  letting  the  anchor  run  the  length  of  its  rope  and  bury  itself 
in  the  mud  bottom  beneath  them. 

As  soon  as  the  "  Gretchen"  had  settled  into  the  position  deter 
mined  for  her  by  the  tide,  the  little  party  of  five  ranged  themselves 


OFF  FOR    THE  PRISON-SHIP.  57 

about  the  boat,  so  as  to  be  as  comfortable  as  possible,  for  there  they 
meant  to  stay  for  the  next  hour,  or  two,  or  three,  as  the  case  might 
be.  It  had  been  for  some  time  a  thoroughly  understood  matter 
between  Hazel  and  Harry  Avery,  that  whenever  the  day  should 
come  for  this  trip  to  the  "Jersey,"  they  were  to  anchor  their  boat 
in  full  sigJit  of  her,  and  then  and  there  he  was  to  tell  them  the 
"  whole  story" — from  the  day  he  volunteered  till  the  day  of  his  re 
lease  in  the  previous  summer. 

Flutters,  who  had  been  made  acquainted  with  the  object  of  the 
expedition,  waited,  with  a  charming  native  sense  of  the  "fitness  of 
things,"  until  the  others  had  chosen  their  places;  then  he  threw 
himself  at  Harry's  feet,  in  one  of  the  graceful  positions  so  natural 
to  him,  and  which  even  Hans  Van  Wyck's  rough,  homespun 
clothes  did  not  altogether  succeed  in  hiding.  It  was  wonderful  to 
look  into  Flutters's  upturned  face — such  complete  satisfaction,  such 
tranquil  happiness  shone  out  of  it.  Even  in  those  exciting 
moments  when  every  nerve  and  tissue  was  thrilling  under  Harry's 
narration  of  the  dark  features  of  his  prison  life,  a  smile  still  seemed 
to  be  lurking  in  the  corners  of  his  expressive  mouth.  Yesterday, 
a  lonely  little  tumbler  in  a  dreary,  tawdry  circus  company;  to-day, 
one  of  a  blessed  circle  of  warm-hearted  friends.  Whatever  fears 
others  might  have  as  to  the  disposal  to  be  made  of  him,  Flutters 
had  none  for  himself.  Of  course  he  was  to  be  Hazel's  faithful  little 
servant  from  that  day  forward,  and  it  was  almost  worth  while,  he 
thought,  to  have  "  darkey  blood"  in  one's  veins  for  the  sake  of 
rendering  such  happy  service.  Farther  than  that  he  did  not  trouble 
himself,  literally  taking  no  thought  for  the  morrow,  nor  for  what 
he  should  put  on  when  his  present  habiliments  should  have  found 
their  way  back  to  their  rightful  owner.  The  "GretchenV  little 
company  made  a  pretty  picture  against  the  blue  gray  of  the  bay> 
and  when  at  last  there  was  no  more  arranging  to  be  done,  and  all 
had  repeatedly  declared  themselves  "  perfectly  comfortable,"  there 
was  a  breathless,  momentous  little  pause,  as  in  the  moment  at  a 
play  between  the  significant  and  abrupt  cessation  of  the  orchestra 
and  the  rolling  back  of  the  curtain.  "Please  begin,"  said  Hazel, 
with  a  great  sigh,  as  though  the  intense  anticipation  of  that  su 
preme  moment  was  quite  too  heavy  for  child-nature  to  endure,  and 
Harry,  looking  sadly  over  to  the  old  "  Jersey,"  commenced  his  story. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


HARRY  S    STORY. 


o 


I  am  to  begin,  Hazel, 
and  at  the  very  begin 
ning,  too,  if  I  keep  my 
promise.  Well,  this  lit 
tle  chapter  of  my  life 
began  with  a  thought, 
as  happens  with  most 
everything  that  is  done 
in  this  world,  and  the 
thought  was  not  one  I 
had  reason  to  be  very 
proud  of.  I  suppose  all 
of  you  know,  even  Flut 
ters,  that  since  the  com 
mencement  of  the  Revo 
lution  American  vessels 
have  been  cruising  about,  hoping  to  capture  English  vessels. 

"  Now  it  chanced  about  two  years  ago  that  the  'Hannah,'  a  very 
rich  prize,  was  brought  into  New  London.  Some  of  the  men  who 
had  taken  part  in  her  capture  had  sailed  out  of  New  London  as 
poor  as  could  be,  and  here  they  came  sailing  back  again,  with  a 
prize  in  tow  rich  enough  to  fill  all  their  empty  pockets.  So  it  was 
not  strange,  perhaps,  that  the  capture  of  the  '  Hannah '  turned  a 
good  many  young  heads,  nor  that  mine  turned  with  the  rest,  and 
that,  as  soon  as  possible,  1  joined  the  crew  of  the  'Venture,'  a 
privateer  that  was  being  rapidly  fitted  out  for  a  cruise.  At  length 
everything  was  in  readiness,  and  away  we  sailed  with  the  high 
est  hopes,  and  with  our  pretty  brig  so  crowded  with  musketry  that 


HARRY^S   STORY.  59 

when  in  action  she  looked  like  a  great  flame  of  fire.  Well,  we  were 
not  long  at  sea  before  we  gave  chase  to  an  English  ship,  in  appear 
ance  as  large  as  ours.  We  exchanged  a  few  shots,  then  we  ran 
alongside  of  her,  and  with  one  salute  of  all  our  fire  put  her  to 
silence,  and  fortunately,  too,  without  losing  a  single  life.  I  can 
tell  you  I  was  a  happy  fellow,  Hazel  (Harry  seemed  to  consider 
Hazel  his  chief  listener),  when  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  be  one  of  the 
crew  who  were  ordered  to  man  the  prize  and  bring  her  into  port ; 
happy  I  was,  and  as  proud  as  a  turkey-cock  ;  but  that  state  of  things 
did  not  last  very  long.  It  was  our  purpose  not  to  attempt  to  make 
a  landing  until  we  should  reach  New  Bedford;  but  before  we  had 
even  cleared  the  shores  of  Long  Island  an  English  ship  of  war,  the 
*  Belisarius,'  of  twenty-six  guns,  bore  down  upon  us,  and  in  less 
than  an  hour  from  the  time  she  had  sighted  us,  those  of  our  number 
left  on  the  *  Venture/  and  those  of  us  who  had  manned  the  English 
brig  were  all  prisoners  together  and  in  irons  in  her  hold." 

"  Bless  my  stars !  were  you  really  ?"  exclaimed  Flutters,  quite 
unprepared  for  this  turn  of  affairs. 

"  Yes,  Flutters,  sixty-five  of  us,  and  on  our  way  to  the  old  prison- 
ship,  yonder." 

"  How  many  did  you  say?"  asked  Hazel.  She  had  been  think 
ing  she  must  teach  Flutters  not  to  say  "  Bless  my  stars !"  and  things 
like  that,  and  so  her  attention  had  wandered  for  a  moment. 

"  Sixty-five,  and  in  less  than  five  months  we  were  reduced  to 
thirty-five." 

"  Did  thirty  die  ?"  she  asked,  incredulously. 

"  Yes,  thirty  did  die,"  interrupted  Starlight,  setting  his  lips 
firmly,  for  he  knew  what  he  was  talking  about,  "  and  you  old  Eng 
lish  as  good  as  murdered  them." 

"  Starlight,  don't  you  dare  to  speak  like  that  to  me,"  was  Hazel's 
quick  retort,  while  the  blood  flashed  hotly  into  her  face.  Flutters 
gazed  at  her  with  astonishment.  Perhaps,  thought  he,  it  will  not 
always  be  an  easy  matter,  after  all,  for  even  the  most  faithful  of 
body-servants  to  please  such  a  spirited  little  mistress. 

"Good  for  you,  Hazel,"  laughed  Harry;  "I  would  not  stand 
such  incivility  either,  if  I  were  you ;  but  then  I  must  tell  you  one 
thing,  not  all  English  hearts  are  as  kind  as  yours  and  Josephine's. 
If  they  were,  the  old  'Jersey'  would  not  have  so  sorrowful  a  tale  to 


60  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

tell."  Harry  paused  a  moment.  Starlight  and  Hazel  were  feeling  a 
trifle  uncomfortable.  They  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to 
give  each  other  a  little  home-thrust  now  and  then  on  the  score 
of  their  political  differences:  The  result,  as  a  rule,  was  a  half- 
acknowledged  admiration  for  each  other's  patriotism,  and  an  extra 
touch  of  mutual  consideration  in  word  and  manner  for  the  time 
being. 

"Flutters,"  said  Hazel,  solemnly,  perhaps  by  way  of  disposing 
of  the  pause  that  seemed  to  reflect  somewhat  upon  the  conduct  of 
herself  and  Starlight,  "Flutters,  what  are  you  ?"  Flutters  looked 
down  at  his  queer  little  Dutch  outfit,  and  then  up  at  Hazel,  with  a 
smile,  which  said  as  plainly  as  words,  "  I  give  it  up." 

"  I  mean,"  continued  Hazel,  "  who  do  you  side  with?  Are  you 
a  stanch  little  Loyalist  like  me  ?  That  is,  do  you  think,  as  I  think, 
that  it  is  very  wrong  to  take  up  arms  against  the  Kin^?" 

Flutters  was  lying  flat  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat  now,  his  dark 
little  face  propped  between  the  palms  of  his  hands,  at  a  loss  to 
know  how  to  answer.  He  was  a  trifle  embarrassed  by  the  direct 
ness  of  Hazel's  question. 

"I  would  rather  side  with  you,  Miss  Hazel,"  he  replied,  at  last, 
"a  sight  rather;  but  mulatto  boys  what  has  passed  most  of  their 
time  in  a  circus  don't  know  much  'bout  those  things.  I'm  going  to 
hear  Mr.  Harry  out,  and  then  I'll  make  up  my  mind." 

"Very  well,"  Hazel  replied,  with  chilling  dignity;  "  please  go 
on,"  she  added,  turning  to  Harry. 

Harry  hesitated  a  moment,  evidently  trying  to  recall  just  where 
he  had  left  off. 

"You  were  in  irons  on  the  '  Belisarius/"  suggested  Josephine, 
whose  thoughts,  judging  from  the  far-away  look  in  her  eyes,  had 
been  with  the  poor  prisoners  all  the  while  rather  than  with  what 
had  been  going  on  about  her. 

" Oh,  yes,  there  we  were!  and  fortunately  with  no  idea  of  the 
suffering  in  store  for  us.  Early  the  next  morning  we  were  led  on 
deck.  The  '  Belisarius'  had  dropped  anchor  over  yonder  (pointing 
to  the  New  York  shore),  and  two  boats  were  coming  toward  us, 
for  she  had  signalled  the  '  Jersey '  that  she  had  prisoners  to  transfer. 
Oh,  how  our  hearts  sank  within  us  as  the  little  boats  that  were  to 
carry  us  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  do  you  wonder,  children,  that 


HARRY'S  STORY. 


62  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

we  dreaded  to  board  the  old  craft  ?  Did  you  ever  see  a  drearier- 
looking  object,  with  never  so  much  as  a  spar  or  a  mast  to  remind 
you  of  the  real  use  of  a  vessel  ?  Even  her  lion  figure-head  had 
been  taken  away,  leaving  nothing  but  an  unsightly  old  hulk,  and 
yet  I  believe  the  Englishmen  who  were  in  charge  of  her  thought 
the  place,  wretched  as  it  was,  too  good  for  us.  It  seemed  we  were  not 
even  to  be  treated  with  the  consideration  due  to  prisoners  of  a  war 
with  a  foreign  nation.  Having  risen  against  the  Mother  Country, 
in  their  eyes  we  were  simply  traitors.  Hopeless  and  despairing  we 
were  rowed  over  to  the  old  prison,  marched  up  the  gangway  ladder, 
ordered  down  the  hatchway,  and  then,  with  the  brutal  exclamation, 
'  There,  rebels !  there  is  the  cage  for  you,'  we  found  ourselves 
prisoners  in  the  midst  of  a  very  wretched  company." 

The  story  was  growing  pretty  painful,  and  likely  to  grow  still 
more  so,  provided  Harry  told  them  all,  as  he  had  promised. 
Besides,  it  was  so  terribly  real,  sitting  there  aboard  of  the  "  Gretchen" 
with  the  old  "Jersey"  right  before  them. 

By  way  of  affording  a  little  relief  from  what  she  felt  was  yet  to 
be  told,  Josephine  asked:  "What  was  that  canvas-covered  place 
there  in  the  stern  used  for  ?" 

"  Oh,  that  was  a  shelter  put  up  for  the  guards  on  the  quarter 
deck.  Just  below  that,  and  reaching  from  the  bulkhead  of  the 
quarter-deck  to  the  forecastle,  was  what  they  called  the  spar-deck, 
and  it  was  there  that  we  were  allowed  to  take  such  exercise  as  we 
could.  We  used  to  walk  in  platoons  facing  the  same  way,  and  then 
all  turn  at  once,  so  as  to  make  the  most  of  the  little  space.  The 
gun-room,  right  under  the  quarter-deck,  was  where  I  was  imprisoned, 
and  it  was  a  trifle  more  comfortable  there,  if  you  can  use  that  word 
in  connection  with  anything  on  the  'Jersey,'  than  the  crowded  place 
between  decks  where  most  of  the  prisoners  were  herded  together.  I 
had  fortunately  been  chosen  second  mate  on  the  English  brig 
during  the  little  while  that  we  were  masters  of  it,  and  to  that  lucky 
fact  I  owed  my  assignment  to  the  gun-room  with  the  other  officers. 
But  for  that,  I  do  not  believe  I  should  be  here  to-day  to  tell  the 
story.  I  do  not  see  how  I  could  have  endured  any  more  and  lived. 
As  it  was,  you  know,  I  was  very  ill." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  said  Hazel,  laying  her  hand  affectionately  over 
one  of  Harry's  and  looking  sympathetically  into  his  face  ;  "  perhaps 


HARRY'S   STORY.  63 

you  had  better  not  say  very  much  about  that  part.  Josephine  and 
I  cry  very  easy  ;  don't  we,  Josephine?" 

"Then  please  don't,  Harry,"  urged  Starlight;  "I'd  rather  have 
a  good  thrashing  any  time  than  see  a  girl  cry,"  recalling  one  occa 
sion  in  particular,  when  his  own  misconduct  had  moved  Hazel  to 
tears,  and  she  had  refused  for  the  space  of  one  long  half  hour  to  be 
in  any-wise  comforted. 

Flutters  had  not  paid  the  least  attention  to  this  last  interruption. 
He  was  thinking  that,  after  all,  the  life  of  a  friendless  little  circus 
performer,  sorry  and  comfortless  and  forlorn  as  it  was,  might  be  less 
full  of  hardship  than  a  prisoner's.  It  was  a  very  grand  thing  to 
have  one's  freedom,  and  he  had  always  had  that — that  is,  he  might 
at  any  time  have  run  away  if  he  chose. 

"What  did  they  give  you  to  eat,  Mr.  Harry?"  he  asked,  by  way 
of  comparing  bills  of  fare. 

"  Little  that  was  fit  to  eat,  Flutters ;  but  I  can  tell  you  exactly 
if  you  would  like  to  know,"  and  Harry  drew  from  his  pocket-book  a 
scrap  of  folded  paper.  "This  was  our  list  of  supplies.  I  wrote  it 
down  the  first  week  on  board,  and  knew  it  quite  by  heart  all  too 
soon.  I  think  I  could  repeat  it  now." 

"  Suppose  you  try,"  and  Josephine  taking  the  paper  from 
his  hand,  Harry  at  once  began  to  recite,  with  the  satisfied  air  of 
a  child  that  perfectly  knows  its  lesson  : 

"  On  Sunday.  —  i  pound  of  biscuit,  i  pound  of  pork,  and  i^  pint 
of  peas. 

11  On  Monday. —  i  pound  of  biscuit,  i  pint  of  oatmeal,  2  ounces 
butter. 

"  On  Tuesday. —  i  pound  of  biscuit,  2  pounds  beef. 

"  On  Wednesday. —  \\  pounds  of  flour  and  2  ounces  suet. 

"  On  Thursday. — Same  as  Sunday. 

"  On  Friday. — Same  as  Monday. 

"  On  Saturday. — Same  as  Tuesday. 

"There,  how  is  that  ?"  he  asked,  "any  mistakes?" 

"  Not  one,"  answered  Josephine;  "but  really,  Harry,  is  that  all 
you  received  ?" 

41  Why,"  exclaimed  Flutters,  "seems  to  me  that's  consid'rable. 
Circus  folks  often  don't  fare  no  better  than  that,  and  don't  get 
things  so  reg'lar,  either." 


64  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"  And  yet,  Flutters,  that  is  only  two-thirds  of  the  allowance  of 
an  English  seaman.  However,  we  would  have  managed  well  enough 
to  exist  if  the  things  had  been  good  in  themselves  or  decently 
cooked,  but  all  the  provisions  were  of  so  wretched  a  quality  that 
many  a  poor  '  Jersey '  prisoner  died  from  starvation  through  sheer 
inability  to  eat  them." 

"  Who  cooked  the  things  for  you  ?"  asked  Hazel. 

"  Whenever  we  could  manage,  Hazel,  we  cooked  them  ourselves. 
Do  you  see  that  big  derrick  on  the  starboard  side  ?  Well,  that  was 
for  taking  in  water,  and  we  each  had  a  scanty  allowance  of  so  much 
and  no  more  each  day.  But,  as  a  rule,  we  contrived  to  save  a  little  of 
it  with  which  to  do  our  own  cooking,  because  only  the  toughest  men 
on  board  could  so  much  as  swallow  the  food  prepared  by  the 
ship's  cook.  Under  the  forecastle,  there  in  the  bow,  hangs  a  great 
copper  divided  in  the  middle  and  holding  two  or  three  hogs 
heads  of  water.  In  one  side  they  cooked  the  meat,  in  the  other 
the  peas  and  oatmeal — sometimes,  I  believe,  in  salt  water,  but  always 
in  water  so  stale  as  to  be  absolutely  unfit  for  use.  So  five  or  six  of 
us  would  club  together,  each  contributing  our  portion  of  water  to 
the  cooking  supply,  and  then,  by  begging  a  little  wood  from 
the  cook,  now  and  then,  and  splitting  it  very  carefully  and  economi 
cally  with  our  knives,  we  could  manage  to  keep  a  fire  going  that 
would  soon  set  our  little  pots  boiling.  It  was  a  great  day  for 
us,  I  remember,  when  a  tangle  of  driftwood  came  bumping  against 
the  ship's  side,  and  we  were  allowed  to  haul  it  on  board  for  our 
fires." 

"It  must  have  been  very  hard  only  now  and  then  to  have  had 
a  little  butter  for  the  biscuit,"  remarked  Hazel,  to  whom  this  par 
ticular  feature  of  Harry's  story  appealed  most  pathetically,  so  very 
fond  was  her  own  little  ladyship  of  the  variety  and  sufficiency  of  a 
well-appointed  table. 

"  But  the  butter  was  not  forthcoming,  Hazel;  they  gave  us  ran 
cid  sweet-oil  instead,  which  refused  to  pass  muster  with  our  Yankee 
palates,  so  that  we  were  able  to  bestow  a  double  portion  upon  some 
poor  Frenchmen,  who  were  very  grateful  for  it." 

Flutters  had  changed  his  mind  about  the  adequacy  of  the 
"Jersey's"  bill  of  fare,  and  was  growing  not  a  little  indignant  over 
Harry's  narration. 


HARRY'S  STORY.  65 

"  Miss  Hazel,"  he  said,  while  the  color  flashed  through  his  dark 
skin,  "  I  am  siding  with  the  Yankees  very  fast." 

"  I  do  not  blame  you  very  much,  Flutters;  I  never  heard  of  any 
thing  like  it  ;"  which  was  quite  a  concession  for  so  loyal  a  little 
Red-Coat  as  Hazel. 

"  But,  Harry,"  asked  Josephine,  who  could  scarcely  bear  to  hear 
of  such  barbarous  treatment  at  the  hands  of  her  own  kinsmen,  "do 
you  think  King  George  and  the  English  nation,  generally,  knew 
about  it  ?" 

"  No,  I  don't,  nor  do  I  believe  they  know  it  now ;  but  they  will 
some  day.  It  was  their  business  to  know  it,  Josephine,  and  not  to 
leave  thousands  of  human  beings  at  the  mercy  of  a  few  merciless 
British  seamen.  Your  own  father  would  scarcely  credit  all  I 
could  tell  him  of  our  treatment,  nor  many  another  English  officer ; 
but  it  was  the  clear  duty  of  some  of  them  to  have  looked  into  the 
matter." 

"  You  don't  mean  it  was  my  papa's  duty,  do  you  ?"  Hazel  asked, 
bristling  up  a  little ;  she  was  not  going  to  allow  even  "  Cousin 
Harry"" to  utter  a  word  that  would  seem  to  reflect  upon  her  father 
even  for  a  moment. 

"  No,  of  course,  I  don't  mean  anything  of  the  kind.  If  I 
thought  Captain  Boniface  in  any  way  responsible  for  those  horrors, 
do  you  think  I  could  be  on  such  friendly  terms  with  him?  No, 
Hazel,  your  father  is  a  true,  brave  man,  and  no  one  knows  better 
than  I  how  much  he  has  given  up  in  K'mg  George's  service.  It 
was  not  his  duty  to  inspect  the  prison-ships.  Furnishing  supplies 
for  the  English  troops  called  for  every  moment  of  his  thought  and 
time,  and  taxed  all  his  strength  and  energy ;  but  there  are  some 
men — men  whom  your  father  knows — whose  names  we  need  not 
mention,  who  are  very  culpable  in  the  matter,  if  you  know  what 
that  means  ?" 

"  I  suppose  it  means  very  much  to  blame,"  sighed  Hazel. 

"Oh,  I  wish  you  would  just  go  on  telling  about  things!"  urged 
Flutters,  beseechingly,  for  to  him  the  story  itself  was  far  more  in 
teresting  than  any  side  remarks. 

Harry  remained  silent  a  moment.  Since  Josephine  and  Hazel 
"cried  very  easy,"  he  had  need  to  be  careful  just  where  he  began 
again.  "I  must  not  forget  to  tell  you,"  he  said,  "something  about 


66  A    LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

'Dame  Grant,'  as  we  called  her,  for  her  visits  to  the   old   'Jersey* 
constituted  almost  our  greatest  blessing.     She  was  a  fat  old  woman, 
who  dealt  in  sugar  and  tea,  pipes  and  combs,  needles  and  pins,  and 
a  few  other  of  the  necessaries  of  life.     Every  day  or  two  her  little 
boat  would  push  out  from  the  Brooklyn  shore,  and,  rowed  by  two 
boys,  over  she  would  come  to   the  ship's  side.     Those  of  us  who 
were  fortunate  enough  to  have  any  money  were  then  allowed  to  go 
to  the  foot  of  the  ladder  and  make  some  little  purchases,  obtaining 
everything — so  she  always  assured  us—'  at  cost  price.'     But  some 
times  I   was  almost  sorry  that   I   had  a  cent  to  spend.     It  was  so 
terrible  to  see  the  longing  in  the  faces  of  the  poor  fellows  who  had 
no  money.     I  will   say  this  much  in  our  favor,  however  ;  I  think 
there  was  hardly  a  man  among  us  who  did  not  shaie  with  some 
one  else  fully  half  of  whatever  he  had  bought.     But  suddenly  the 
visits  came  to  an  end.     One  morning  the  little  boat  put  out  from 
the  shore  as  usual,  but  with  no  one  in  it  save  one  of  the  boys  who 
used  to  row  it,  and  he  brought  us  the  sad  news  that  the  old  '  Dame' 
had  caught  the  fever  from  the  hulk  of  the  'Jersey'  and  died.     After 
that  no  one  else  was  ever  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  contagion   for 
the   sake   of  the   profits    of   our   little  purchases.     But   one  of  the 
happiest  experiences  that   ever    came  to  us  in    those  long,  dreary 
days,  was  to   be  allowed  to  become  a  member  of   the    'Working 
Party.'     It  was  composed  of  twenty  men,  and  all  the  prisoners  who 
had  any  strength  left  were  always  eager  to  join  it.     It  was  the  duty 
of  these  men  to  wash  down  the  upper  deck  and  gangway,  to  spread 
the  awning,  and  to  hoist  wood,  water,  and  other  supplies  on  board, 
from  the    boats   that   came  alongside.     Then,  in   the    case    of  any 
deaths — and  there  were  often  three  or  four  during  a  single  night- 
some  of  the  party  would  be  assigned  the  duty  of  burial,  and  sent  to 
the  shore  for  that  purpose,  but  always  closely  watched  by  two  or 
three  guards.     Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  sad  duty  was  considered 
the  most  desirable  of  all.     It  meant  setting  one  s  foot  on  dear  old 
Mother  Earth  again,  for,  at  least,  a  little  while,  and  even  the  mourn 
ful  work  in  hand  could  not  quite  offset  that  pleasure.     Only  once 
was  I  so  fortunate  as  to  be  chosen,  and  so  keen  was  my  delight  in 
treading  the  ground  again,  that  I   actually  took  off  my  shoes  for 
the  sake  of  feeling  the  sand  fall  away  from  my  feet  as  we  pushed 
along  with  our  sad  burden.     Now  and  then  it  would  happen  that, 


HARRY'S  STORY.  67 

notwithstanding  the  watchfulness  of  the  guards,  a  prisoner  would 
succeed  in  making  his  escape  when  sent  ashore  with  one  of  these 
interment  parties.  Near  the  spot  where  most  of  the  'Jerseys 
prisoners  were  buried  was  a  comfortable  homestead  belonging  to 
a  miller.  The  men  used  to  call  it  the  'Old  Dutchman  s,  and 
always  looked  toward  it  with  a  sort  of  veneration  as  they  passed, 
particularly  as  they  knew  that  the  miller's  daughter  was  deeply  in 
terested  in  us.  She  kept  account  of  all  the  poor  fellows  who  were 
brouo-ht  to  the  shore  to  be  buried,  and  I  think  many  of  us  cherished 
a  vain  sort  of  hope  that  deliverance  might  possibly  come  through 

her  some  day." 

"That  was  strange  about  caring  to  feel  the  sand  against  your 
feet,"  remarked  Starlight ;  "  that  isjthe  last  sort  of  thing  you'd  think 
a  fellow  would  ever  really  care  for." 

"  Very  likely ;  but  if  you  ever  spend  even  a  month  on  shipboarc 
you'll  find  yourse'lf  longing  for  some  of  the  things  that  you  never  so 
much  as  gave  a  thought  to  while  you  had  them.     Why,  when  the 
men   returned  to   the    'Jersey'    from   the    shore  they  would  tato 
back  with  them  as  much  common  turf  as  they  could  carry,  and 
little  fragments  would  be  greedily  sought  for  and  inhaled  with  moi 
pleasure  than  if  they  had  had  the  fragrance  of  a  rose.' 

"  Did  they  pay  you  in  any  way  for  the  work  rs, 

still  anxious  to  compare  experiences. 

"  Not  in  money,  of  course,  Flutters,  but  we  had  the  privilege  of 
goino-  on  deck  early  in  the  morning,  and  were   allowed  to  stay  till 
lunset      All  the  other  prisoners  were  ordered  down  to  the  foul  air 
between  decks  two  hours  earlier,  there  to  stay,  come  what  would,  l< 
ten  wretched  hours,  with  the  iron  gratings  of  the  hatchways  firmly 
fastening  them  in.     Then  we  were  granted  a  full  allowance 
visions,  such  as  they  were." 

"Tell  about   when  all  the    'Venture's'    crew  were   at    last  ex 
changed  excepting  you  and  Tom  Burnham,"  suggested 
a  pause  that  offered. 

"No  don't,  please,"  Josephine  exclaimed ;  "we  all  know  about 
that  and  it  was  so  very  dreadful.      Besides,  it's  all  right  now. 

"  What,"    said    Flutters,  eagerly,  sitting    bolt  upright- 
that  ?     /  don't  know  about  it." 

"  I'll  tell  you,"   Hazel  whispered,  motioning  him  closer 


63  A    LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

meanwhile  Harry  pointed  out  different  parts  of  the  ship  in  answer 
to  certain  questions  of  Josephine's. 

"  You  see,"  explained  Hazel  in  a  melodramatic  whisper,  "  that 
Cousin  Harry  was  taken  sick  one  day  very  suddenly,  and  then  he 
had  the  fever  so  badly  that  he  was  carried  over  to  Blackwell's  Island 
to  die.  But  he  didn't  die." 

"  Didn't  he,  really  ?"  asked  Flutters,  mischievously. 

"  I  wouldn't  joke  about  a  thing  like  this,  Flutters.  No,  he 
didn't  die  ;  but  while  he  was  getting  well  very  slowly  a  cartel — that's 
a  kind  of  boat — was  sent  from  New  London,  with  some  English 
prisoners  on  board,  to  exchange  for  the  crew  of  the  '  Venture ; '  but 
there  were  not  quite  as  many  English  prisoners  as  were  needed  for 
an  exchange,  so  they  decided  they  would  have  to  leave  Cousin 
Harry  and  a  friend  of  his,  Tom  Burnham,  who  were  sick  over  on 
the  island,  behind,  and  as  soon  afterward  as  those  two  poor  fellows 
were  well  enough,  back  they  had  to  go  again  to  that  dreadful  old 
'  Jersey/  Wasn't  that  pretty  hard  ?" 

"  Gosh,  yes,"  exclaimed  inelegant  little  Flutters,  and  Hazel  ex 
cused  the  word  because  the  occasion  seemed  to  demand  something 
strong. 

"  And  there  they  stayed,  Flutters,  one  whole  year  longer,  till 
last  August,  when  the  English  had  to  let  all  their  prisoners  go  free  ; 
but  understand,  Flutters,  it  was  just  those  few  bad  men  in  charge 
of  the  'Jersey'  who  were  so  cruel.  In  other  places  we  did  not 
treat  our  prisoners  badly  at  all.  Besides,  it  was  very  wicked  indeed 
to  take  arms  against  the  King,  though,  of  course,  men  like  Cousin 
Harry  thought  they  were  doing  right."  Hazel,  as  usual,  wound  up 
with  a  defence  of  her  own  loyalist  principles. 

And  so  the  story  of  Harry's  hard  prison  life  was  all  told,  or, 
rather,  as  much  of  it  as  was  suited  to  his  audience  or  was  not  too 
heartrending,  and  at  once  the  little  party  agreed  to  weigh  anchor 
and  sail  quite  out  of  sight  of  the  dreary  old  ship  before  opening  the 
well-filled  luncheon  baskets  stowed  away  in  the  "Gretchen's" 
narrow  hold. 

And  then,  of  course,  every  one  kept  on  the  lookout  for  the  best 
point  to  come  to  anchor  again;  but  Flutters  was  the  first  to 
discover  a  most  attractive  spot  on  the  New  York  side  of  the 
river,  where  some  fine  old  trees  grew  close  to  its  edge,  and  already 


HARRY'S   STORY.  69 

cast  their  shadows  far  enough  out  on  the  water  to  shade  the 
"Gretchen"  from  bow  to  stern.  Thither  they  sailed,  quickly 
dropped  anchor,  and  soon  sitting  down  to  cold  tongue  and  biscuits, 
peach  jam  and  sponge  cake,  endeavored  to  banish  all  thoughts  of 
prisoners  and  prison-ships.  It  was  not  hard  work,  for  Flutters  was 
funny,  and  Starlight  and  Hazel  actually  silly.  Indeed,  all  of  them 
felt  a  sort  of  reaction  from  the  gloomy,  depressing  thoughts  of  the 
last  hour,  and,  to  my  thinking,  a  little  silliness  was  perfectly  allow 
able.  After  a  most  leisurely  luncheon,  Hazel  and  Starlight  moved  to 
the  stern  of  the  boat.  There  was  one  important  matter  they  had 
need  to  discuss  confidentially — the  return  of  Hans's  clothes.  Hazel 
had  not  forgotten  her  promise  to  surely  bring  them  back  to  Mrs. 
Van  Wyck  the  next  day  ;  and  now  the  next  day  had  come,  and 
with  no  better  prospect  of  any  other  equipment  for  Flutters.  En 
tirely  unconcerned,  Flutters,  growing  drowsy  in  the  noontide  still 
ness  of  the  river,  had  stretched  his  lithe  little  body  along  one  of  the 
boat  cushions  and  fallen  asleep.  Josephine,  after  stowing  away  the 
emptied  baskets,  had  seated  herself  again  with  her  back  against  the 
mast.  Harry  had  moved  to  a  seat  by  her  side,  and  they  were  talking- 
together  of  what  filled  both  their  hearts — their  anxiety  for  Captain 
Boniface ;  and  Harry  was  doing  his  best  to  calm  Josephine's  fears. 
He  spoke  most  cheerily  and  hopefully,  for  he  honestly  did  not 
believe  the  antagonism  against  her  father  would  amount  to  so  very 
much;  and  watching  her  lovely  face  brighten  at  his  encouraging 
words,  no  doubt  thought  how  very  beautiful  she  was.  You  would 
have  thought  so  too  could  you  have  seen  her,  with  her  wide- 
brimmed  hat  pushed  far  back  on  her  head,  and  the  airiest  of 
little  breezes  playing  with  the  pretty  light  hair  that  lay  in  curling 
wisps  about  her  forehead.  Starlight  happened  to  glance  toward 
Josephine  just  as  he  and  Hazel  had  settled  the  matter  they  had  in 
hand,  and  seemed  more  impressed  with  her  beauty,  as  she  sat  there, 
than  ever  before. 

"  You  don't  often  find  a  girl  like  your  sister  Josephine,"  he  said  ; 
"  she's  lovely  herself,  and  she's  lovely  to  look  at.  Those  two  things 
don't  generally  go  together — in  girls." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Hazel,  bristling  a  little,  as  usual. 

"  I  mean  that  most  lovely  girls  know  that  they're  lovely,  and  that 
spoils  it.  The  good-natured  girls  are  most  always  homely." 


7o  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"Am  I?" 

"No,  of  course,  you're  not  homely,  Hazel,  but  then   you  re  not 
—a  long  pause— " so  very  good-natured  either;"   Starlight's  love  of 
mischief  having  gotten  the  better  of  his  discretion. 

Hazel  gave  him  one  look  of  indignant  condemnation.  Then, 
without  a  word,  she  moved  away,  took  her  seat  at  Josephine's  feet, 
and  for  the  remainder  of  the  afternoon  treated  Starlight  with  all  the 
studied  coolness  offended  dignity  could  muster. 

About  four  o'clock  the  "  Gretchen"  again  weighed  anchor  and 
steered  out  into  the  river,  homeward  bound.  It  had  been  arranged 
that  she  should  touch  at  the  foot  of  Beekman  Street, and  that  Starlight 
should  leave  them  there,  so  as  to  stop  at  Mrs.  Van  Wyck's  and  see 
what  could  be  done  about  Flutters's  clothes,  or  rather  Hanss;  and 
from  there  he  would  no  doubt  be  able  to  beg  a  ride  out  to  the 
Bonifaces'.  " Good-bye,  Hazel,"  he  called  back,  as  he  bounded  on  to 
the  little  wharf.  Hazel  vouchsafed  no  answer.  Josephine  wondered 
what  was  up,  and  so  did  Harry,  but  were  wise  enough  not  to  ask 
any  questions.  Flutters  was  not  so  wise.  "  Miss  Hazel,  did  you 
hear  Starlight  call  good-bye  ?"  he  queried. 

"  I'm  not  deaf,  Flutters." 

"Then  why  didn't  you  answer?"  with  innocent  directness. 

"  I  had  my  own  good  reasons.     And,  Flutters, ^«  must  not  ever 
ask  me  why  I  do  things." 

"All    right,    Miss  Hazel,"    Flutters    answered  cheerily,  for  her 
word  was  law  to  him;  but  Josephine  and   Harry  found  it  difficult 
conceal  a  smile. 

It  proved  rather  a  tedious  sail  homeward,  for  the  wind  that  nad 
blown  them  so  finely  down  river  in  the  morning  had  not  been  so 
accommodating  as  to  change  its  direction,  and  only  by  dint  of  much 
"tacking"  was  any  headway  to  be  made.  At  last,  however,  the 
Boniface  homestead  came  in  sight,  and  in  the  stillness  of  the  twi 
light  the  "Gretchen"  was  safely  moored  to  her  own  little  dock. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


A  CALL  ON  COLONEL  HAMILTON. 

OOD-BYE,  Hazel," "Good-bye,  Starlight," 
"  Good-bye,      Josephine,"      "Good-bye, 
Cousin    Harry,"  "  Good-bye,    Flutters." 
Quite  a  medley  of  good-byes,  to  be  sure 
but  no  more  than  were  needed,  for  Harry 
and  Starlight,  once  more  aboard  of  the 
"  Gretchen,"   were    fast  gliding   out   on 
to  the  river,  and  Josephine  and  Hazel 
and  Flutters  were  being  left  behind  on 
the  wharf.     The  little   prison-ship  party 
had   had   their  supper,  and    now  Harry 
and  Starlight  were  off  for  Paulus  Hook  ; 
it   was  high  time,  too,  that  they  were, 
since  they  had    already   been    absent 
a  day  longer  than  Harry  had  planned, 
and    Aunt    Frances  would  naturally 
begin  to  feel  worried.     Little  Flutters 
cut  a  queer  figure  as  he  stood  there 
on  the  floating  dock  in  the  moonlight. 
Hans  Van   Wyck's  clothes,  done  up 
in   a  snug    bundle,  were    already   on 
their  way  back  to  their  lawful  owner, 
so  that   he   had  need  to  resort  once 
more   to    the  spangles  and   tinsel   of 
his  circus  costume.     By  way  of  mak 
ing  up  for  insufficient  clothing,   Mrs. 
Boniface   had  thrown  a  shawl  about 
him,  one  end  of  which  Flutters  allowed  to  trail   behind,  pinning  the 


72  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

other  close  about  his  throat,  with  one  corner  thrown  over  his  left 
shoulder. 

"We  must  do  something  about  some  clothes  for  you,  Flutters, 
right  away,"  Hazel  remarked,  as  they  turned  to  walk  up  from  the 
wharf,  when,  amid  the  darkening  shadows  of  the  river,  the  "Gre- 
tchen's"  sail  was  no  longer  visible.  "  Starlight  and  I  hoped  Mrs. 
Van  Wyck  would  offer  to  give  us  that  suit  of  Hans's  to  keep  when 
he  stopped  to  see  her  this  afternoon  and  told  her  about  you,  but  she 
did  not  propose  anything  of  the  kind.  She  only  said  '  it  was  very 
inconvenient  for  Hans  not  to  have  them,  and  she  hoped  we'd  man 
age  to  get  them  back  to-night/  " 

"  And  you  have  managed,  haven't  you,  Miss  Hazel  ?"  Flutters 
answered,  as  if  the  managing  were  a  matter  to  be  proud  of;  and, 
mimicking  a  sort  of  stage  stride  such  as  he  had  often  witnessed  in 
tragical  circus  pantomimes,  he  apparently  bestowed  far  more  atten 
tion  on  the  sweep  of  his  majestic  train  than  on  what  Hazel  was 
saying. 

"Yes,  of  course,  I  sent  them  back;  what  else  could  I  do?  -—this 
last  rather  impatiently,  because  of  Flutters's  exasperating  unconcern 

«  but  how  are  you  going  to  manage  without  them  is  what  I'd  like 

to  know." 

Flutters  gave  Hazel  a  comical  little  look.  "With  tights  and 
shawls,  I  s'pose,  Miss  Hazel,  unless  the  Captain  felt  like  as  he  could 
buy  some  for  me." 

"  No,"  said  Hazel  decidedly  ;  "  I  am  not  going  to  bother  father 
'bout  things  like  that,  'specially  now  when  he's  so  worried  and  his 
life's  in  danger."     This   remark   brought   Flutters  to  a  stand, 
the  Captain's  life  in  danger,  really,  Miss  Hazel?" 

"Yes,  it  is.  Josephine  said  he  received  a  very  angry  letter  the 
other  night  from  some  old  friends  of  his.  They  as  much  as  told 
him  that  he  must  go  away,  and  that  his  life  wasn't  safe  here ;  and  lots 
of  people  are  going,  Flutters  ;  people  who,  like  father,  have  sided 
with  King  George." 

"  Where  are  they  going,  Miss  Hazel  ?" 

"  To  England,  most  of  them." 

"  And  will  the  Captain  go?" 

"No,  Josephine  thinks  not.  You  see  he  built  this  house,  Flut 
ters,  and  he  loves  it,  and  he  .loves  this  country,  too.  Josephine  says 


A    CALL    ON  COLONEL   HAMILTON.  73 

she  believes  he'll  just  stay,  and  try  and  live  the  angry  feeling 
down." 

"  Miss  Hazel,"  said  Flutters,  stopping  to  gather  the  trailing 
shawl  over  one  arm,  for  he  was  ready  now  to  give  his  whole  mind 
to  the  matter  in  hand,  "  it's  a  very  puzzling  thing  'bout  me.  When 
Mr.  Harry  was  telling  those  sad  things  of  the  prison-ship,  I  thought 
I  was  a  Whig,  and  now  when  you  are  talking  'bout  the  Captain,  it 
seems  as  though  I  was  a — a  what  do  you  call  it  ?" 

"  A  Loyalist,  Flutters?" 

"  Yes,  a  Loyalist ;  but  I  reckon  folks  what  has  friends  on  both 
sides,  had  better  not  be  anything  particular." 

"  Perhaps  that  would  be  best,"  Hazel  replied,  smiling  in  spite  of 
herself. 

"  Miss  Hazel,"  Flutters  said,  after  a  little  pause,  stopping  and 
looking  round  him  somewhat  cautiously,  as  though  he  feared  his 
question  might  be  overheard,  "  did  Starlight  hear  of  any  'quiries  for 
me,  when  he  was  in  the  city  this  afternoon  ?" 

Hazel  nodded  "  Yes"  in  a  most  mysterious  manner. 

"  There's  no  danger  of  their  'quiring  round  here,  do  you  think?" 
and  Hazel  saw  the  involuntary  little  tremble  shoot  through  Flutters's 
frame. 

"  No,  indeed,  Flutters,  and  we  wouldn't  give  you  up  if  they  did. 
Mrs.  Van  Wyck  told  Starlight  that  a  forlorn  old  man,  who  belong 
ed  to  the  circus,  stopped  at  her  gate  and  asked  if  she'd  seen  any 
thing  of  a  little  mulatto  boy  what  had  deserted  from  the  troupe,  or 
knowed  anything  about  him,  and  Mrs.  Van  Wyck  said,  'Lor',  no  !' 
never  dreaming  that  her  very  own  little  Hans's  clothes  were  on  that 
same  little  boy  that  very  moment." 

"  That  must  have  been  good  old  Bobbin,"  answered  Flutters, 
fairly  chuckling  over  the  thought  of  the  entire  success  of  his  escape. 

"  Miss  Hazel,"  he  added,  after  a  moment's  thoughtful  meditation, 
"  I've  been  thinking  how  I  might  earn  the  money  for  my  clothes  by 
doing  a  little  tumbling  for  folks  round  here,  only  I'm  so  awfully 
afraid  of  being  heard  of  by  the  circus  people." 

The  suggestion  instantly  flashed  a  new  scheme  through  Hazel's 
mind. 

"  Flutters,"  she  said,  very  slowly  and  seriously,  "  I've — thought — 
of— something.  Yes,  it's  the  very  thing.  I'm  going  to  town  to- 


74  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

morrow,  to  see  Colonel  Hamilton  about  an  important  matter,  and 
I'll  make  all  the  'rangements." 

"'Rangements  'bout  the  clothes,  Miss  Hazel  ?" 

"Yes,  'rangements  'bout  everything;  but,  hush  !  'cause  nobody 
else  must  know  about  it."  They  had  reached  the  porch  where  Mrs. 
Boniface  was  sitting,  and  Josephine  was  close  behind  them,  which 
was  the  occasion  for  Hazel's  "  Hush ;"  and  so  little  Flutters  tumbled 
into  bed  half  an  hour  later,  still  in  ignorance  as  to  what  the  scheme 
of  his  "  little  Mistress"  might  be,  but  with  perfect  confidence  in 
her  ability  to  make  any  arrangements  under  the  sun. 

Joe  Ainsworth  found  his  little  friend  waiting  in  the  sunshine  the 
next  morning,  and,  almost  without  intimation  from  him,  the  leaders 
came  to  a  standstill,  and  Hazel  mounted  to  her  seat  beside  him. 
"  Business  in  town  ?"  ventured  Joe. 

"  Colonel  Hamilton's,  please,"  all  intent  on  getting  comfortably 
seated. 

"  Oh  !"  exclaimed  Joe,  with  elevated  eyebrows,  "  haven't  fixed 
that  matter  up  yet,  eh  ?" 

"  Not  yet.     I  haven't  had  time  to  see  to  it  until  to-day." 

"  Haven't  had  time,"  said  Joe,  with  a  significant  smile. 

"  No,  I  haven't,  really.  Yesterday  I  had  to  go  on  a  sailing  party 
and  the  day  before  to  the  circus." 

"My  lands,  Miss  Hazel!  I  guess  if  you  had  to  drive  this 
Albany  coach  every  day  of  your  life,  week  in  and  week  out,  and 
was  ever  able  to  take  so  much  as  a  day  off  for  a  circus  or  a  sailing 
party,  you  would  call  that  having  lots  of  time.  I  would,  I  can  tell 
ye." 

"  Well,  then,  perhaps  it  was  because  I  couldn't  do  both  things, 
Joe,  so  I  chose  the  sailing  party  and  the  circus." 

"  I  don't  blame  you,  Miss  Hazel.  Besides,  there  can't  be  any 
thing  very  pleasant  for  such  a  loyal  little  Red-Coat  as  you  to  look 
forward  to,  in  calling  on  our  American  Colonel." 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  any  American  Colonel,"  with  the  air  of  a 
grand  duchess. 

"  No,  of  course  not,  Miss  Hazel,  but  I'd  have  a  care  to  that  little 

tongue  of  yours." 

Hazel    did    not    answer.     She  would    not    have    allowed   many 


A    CALL    ON  COLONEL    HAMILTON.  75 

people  to  offer  that  unsolicited  advice  without  some  sort  of  a  rejoin 
der,  but  she  had  always  a  most  kindly  side  toward  Joe  Ainsworth, 
not  entirely  accounted  for,  either,  by  the  fact  of  the  free  rides. 

For  some  reason  or  other  the  coach  horses  kept  up  a  good 
pace  that  morning,  and  it  was  not  long  before  they  came  to  a 
halt  at  Hazel's  destination. 

Colonel  Hamilton's  law  office  was  in  just  such  another  wide- 
porched  double  house  as  the  Starlight  homestead  ;  and,  like  it, 
had  been  vacated  by  its  rightful  owner  during  the  progress  of  the 
war,  and  so  had  shared  the  similar  fate  of  being  immediately 
claimed  by  the  English.  They  were  most  comfortable-looking 
dwellings,  those  old  colonial  homesteads,  cheery  and  clean  without, 
in  their  buff  coats  of  paint  lined  off  with  generous  bands  of  white, 
and  most  hospitable  within,  with  their  wide  halls  running  from  front 
to  back  straight  through  them.  It  seemed  a  shame  that  such 
a  homelike  place  should  ever  be  converted  into  a  mere  bevy 
of  offices,  but,  after  all,  that  is  but  one  of  many  desecrations  that 
follow  closely  in  the  train  of  wretched  war.  The  very  sight  of  the 
house,  and  the  evident  misuse  to  which  it  had  been  put,  stirred 
Hazel's  indignation.  She  did  not  know  who  had  lived  there, 
but  she  felt  very  sorry  for  them  all  the  same. 

It  chanced  to  be  her  good  fortune  to  find  Colonel  Alexander 
Hamilton  alone  in  his  office,  something  that  did  not  often 
happen  in  the  experience  of  that  great  man,  and  it  was  also 
perhaps  her  good  fortune  to  be  altogether  unconscious  of  how 
truly  great  he  was,  else  she  might  not  h^ve  marched  so  boldly 
into  his  presence  and  told  her  story  in  such  a  frank  and  fearless 
manner.  Yet,  who  knows,  there  are  big  and  little  women  the 
world  over,  who  will  stop  at  nothing,  and  know  neither  fear  nor 
shrinking  where  a  friend's  interests  are  concerned,  especially 
such  a  brave,  true  friend  as  Starlight  had  always  proved  himself 
to  be. 

Colonel  Hamilton  allowed  Hazel  to  make  her  statement  without 
interruption,  save  to  ask  some  lawyer-like  question  now  and  then, 
when,  in  her  childish  eagerness,  she  had  failed  to  put  the  facts  quite 
clearly ;  but,  notwithstanding  her  eagerness  and  the  importance 
of  her  errand,  she  took  time  to  note  that  he  was  "  a  lovely-looking 
gentleman,"  and  to  draw  a  little  sigh  of  regret  that  so  fine  a 


76  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

man  should  not  have  been  a  Tory  like  herself.  When  at  last 
she  had  cleared  her  mind  of  all  she  had  to  say,  she  folded  her 
little  hands  together  in  her  lap,  and  scanning  his  handsome  face 
closely,  waited  for  his  answer. 

But  Colonel  Hamilton  did  not  answer.  With  his  elbows 
resting  on  the  arms  of  his  office  chair  he  sat  for  a  few  seconds 
gazing  down  at  his  hands,  the  fingers  of  which,  with  thumb  pressing 
thumb,  were  clasped  in  meditative  fashion  before  him.  Hazel 
gazed  at  them  too.  She  thought  they  were  very  nice  hands,  and 
noticed  ho\v  fine  were  the  linen  frills  falling  over  them  from 
the  circle  of  the  tight-fitting,  broadcloth  sleeve.  She  was  not 
at  all  concerned  that  he  did  not  hasten  to  reply.  She  had  heard 
that  lawyers  gave  a  great  deal  of  thought  to  "things,"  and  she 
would  not  hurry  him.  Meanwhile  she  sought  the  arms  of  the 
chair  in  which  she  was  sitting  as  a  support  for  her  own  elbows, 
and  endeavored  to  lock  her  own  little  hands  together  in  imitation 
of  his — so  will  the  feminine  mind  occupy  itself  with  veriest  trifles 
even  on  the  verge  of  most  decisive  transactions.  But  the  chair- 
arms  were  too  wide  apart  and  the  child-arms  too  short  by  far 
to  successfully  accomplish  the  imitation.  Colonel  Hamilton  noted 
the  attempt  and  smiled.  "  My  little  friend,"  he  said  at  last,  "  I'm 
thinking  I  am  the  very  last  man  you  should  have  come  to  about 
all  this.  How  did  you  happen  to  appeal  to  me  ?" 

"  Because,  sir  (Hazel  grew  a  little  embarrassed) — because  sir,  as 
I  told  Joe  Ainsworth,  who  drives  the  Albany  coach,  you  were 
the  gentleman  who  talked  the  court  into  deciding  the  case  against 
Miss  A  very  and  in  favor  of  Captain  Wadsworth." 

"  And  how  did  you  learn  that  ?" 

"Oh,  I  have  heard  my  father  talk  about  it;  I  am  his  little 
daughter  Hazel." 

"  Naturally,  but  who  may  your  father  be  ?" 

"  Captain  Hugh  Boniface,  of  his  Majesty's  service,"  with  no  little 
dignity. 

"  Indeed  !"  exclaimed  the  Colonel,  with  surprise,  "and  what  did 
your  father  say  ?" 

"  He  did  not  think  you  were  right  about  it,  Colonel  Hamilton, 
but  he  said  you  were  smart  enough  and  handsome  enough  to  make 
a  jury  believe  anything  you  wanted  to."  Hazel  did  not  know  why 


A    CALL    ON  COLONEL   HAMILTON.  77 

the  Colonel  walked  over  to  the  window  and  looked  out  for  a 
moment,  but  one  might  surmise  that  it  was  simply  to  conceal  a 
very  broad  smile. 

"That  is  rather  doubtful  praise,  Miss  Hazel,"  he  said,  coming 
back  again,  "  but  I  can  tell  you  one  thing,  I  certainly  would  not  try 
to  make  a  jury  believe  anything  that  I  did  not  believe  myself." 

"  No,  of  course  not,"  Hazel  answered  warmly,  "  only  I  thought 
you  could  not  have  understood  about  things.  That  is  the  reason  I 
have  come  to  ask  you  to  change  your  mind." 

"  But,  unfortunately,  lawyers'  minds  when  once  made  up  cannot 
be  changed  very  easily,  and"l  am  sorry  for  that,  for  there  is  nothing 
I  would  rather  do  than  be  of  service  to  you  and  your  little  friend 
with  the  pretty  name— what  do  you  call  him  ?  Starlight  ?  You  see, 
the  bother  is,  I  honestly  think  the  English  have  a  right  to  dispose 
of  Miss  Avery's  house,  for  they  did  not  take  it  from  her  nor  compel 
her  to  leave  it.  She  left  it  of  her  own  accord,  now  more  than  two  years 
ao-o,  and  entirely  unprotected.  Now  I  do  not  see  why  she  should 
expect  to  come  back  to  it  and  turn  out  its  present  occupant^  just 
when  she  chances  to  see  fit,  and  the  court  agrees  with  me  in  this. 

"  But  doesn't  it  seem  too  bad  for  a  lot  of  great,  strong  men   to 
side  against  a  lovely  lady  like   Miss   Frances  Avery  ?"   and 
gave  a  very  deep  sigh. 

"  Yes,  in  one  way  it  does,  Miss  Hazel ,"  said  Colonel 
kindly,   ''and    the  great  strong  men  felt  very  sorry  for  her.      Un 
fortunately  hers  proved  to  be  a  sort  of  test  case.     There  are  scores 
of  other  people  who  want  to  come  back  and  turn  people  out  of  the 
homes  where  they  have  been  living,  some  of  them  for  the  last  six 
or  seven  years— indeed  ever  since  New  York  fell  into  the  hands  c 
the  British,  and  now  the  court  has  decided  that  they  ought  not^  to 
be  allowed  to  come,  and  that  under  these  circumstances,  '  possession 
is  not  only  nine  points  of  the  law, '  but  ten." 

"  I  do  not  quite  understand  what  you  mean  about  the  points 
of  the  law,"  said  Hazel,  frankly;  "but  I  do  not  think  about  it 
as  you  do  at  all "  and,  in  fact,  there  were  many  people  in  those 
days,  and  many,  too,  in  these,  who  could  make  Hazel's  words  their 
own,  never  having  been  able  to  comprehend  how  it  was  that 
great  lawyer  took  the  stand  he  did. 

"  Besides,  it  is  queer,"  Hazel  added,  after  a  moments  cogitation, 


78  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"that  such  a  Whig  as  you  are,  Colonel  Hamilton,  should  have 
sided  with  the  Tories." 

"  Not  a  whit  more  queer,  it  strikes  me,"  laughed  the  Colonel, 
"  than  that  a  stanch  little  Loyalist  like  yourself  should  be  pleading 
so  warmly  for  the  Whigs." 

"  But  if  your  best  friend  was  a  Whig  and  you  felt  sorry  for  him  ?" 
pleaded  Hazel,  in  extenuation. 

"  Well  to  be  sure,  that  does  put  matters  in  a  different  light; 
but  truly,  I  do  not  see  what  you  are  going  to  be  able  to  do  about  it. 
If  Miss  Avery  can  fix  matters  up  with  Captain  Wadsworth,  all  well 
and  good,  and— 

"No,  she  can  never  do  that,"  interrupted  Hazel,  decidedly.  "  I 
have  seen  Captain  Wadsworth  myself.  He  looks  like  a  kind  man, 
but  he  isn't.  He  told  me  to  come  to  you  about  it ;  but  it  seems 
there's  no  use  going  to  anybody,  and  I  guess  Miss  Avery  and 
Starlight  will  just  have  to  live  and  die  over  at  Paulus  Hook, 
and  never  have  a  home  of  their  own  again — never!" 

It  must  be  confessed  that  Hazel's  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Star 
light  homestead  had  apparently  met  with  no  success  whatever. 
But  she  had  done  what  she  could,  all  she  could,  indeed,  and  there 
was  some  comfort  in  that,  at  least  so  she  thought,  as  she  walked 
slowly  away  from  Colonel  Hamilton's  office.  She  paused  in  a 
meditative  way  as  she  reached  the  gate.  "  Poor  little  girl,"  thought 
the  Colonel,  who  sat  watching  her  from  his  office  window,  "  I  fancy 
she  had  an  idea  I  could  go  right  up  to  Captain  Wadsworth's  and 
turn  them  all  out  if  I  wished  to,  and  half  believed  I  would  do  it. 
As  it  is,  I  will  speak  to  the  Captain.  Perhaps  he  might  be  able  to 
make  some  sort  of  a  compromise  with  Miss  Avery." 

So  after  all  Hazel  had  at  least  succeeded  in  making  a  friend  of 
the  Colonel,  and  of  Captain  Wadsworth,  too,  for  that  matter,  and  it 
was  not  altogether  improbable  that  something  might  result  from 
this  state  of  affairs,  though  she  herself  little  dreamed  it.  But  Hazel 
had  had  a  double  purpose  in  coming  into  the  city  that  morning,  and 
did  not  stand  there  at  the  Colonel's  gate  because,  as  the  Colonel 
thought,  she  was  the  most  sorrowful  and  hopeless  of  little  suppliants, 
but  because  she  was  trying  to  decide  just  what  she  had  better 
do  next. 


A    CALL    ON   COLONEL   HAMILTON. 


79 


"  Better  do  next  ?"  was  the  question  that  always  confronted  that 
restless  and  active   little  woman   whenever  the  completion   of  any 
one  plan  left  her  free  to  launch  upon  another.     If  the  little  plan  had 
utterly  failed,  that  did  not  matter.     It  was  her  life  to  be  busy  about 
something,    though    the 
something  might  be    of 
no      more      importance 
than    the    making    of  a 
doll's  dress  or  the  mend 
ing  of  a  toy  teacup.    But 
now    the    something    to 
be  done  was  important, 
and  having  made  up  her 
mind    what    to    do,    she 
suddenly    started   off  at 
a    brisk  little   pace  that  , 

fl 


would  have  surprised 
the  sympathetic  Colonel 
could  he  have  seen  be 
hind  the  boxwood  hedge 
that  grew  close  up  to 
the  gate  on  either  side. 
So  great  indeed  was  the 
change  in  her  bearing, 
he  might  with  reason 
have  suspected  her  of  a 
little  "  old  soldiering" 
while  in  his  office. 

Hazel's  destination 
was  the  Starlight  home 
stead,  and  the  man  she 
wanted  to  see  was  Ser 
geant  Bellows.  She 
found  him  seated  alone 

on  a  bench  under  a  tree  in  the  front  garden,  and  this  suited 
her  exactly,  for  her  interview  had  need  to  be  a  private  one. 
The  old  Sergeant  was  cleaning  some  sword-handles,  but  was 
glad  enough  to  have  his  work  interrupted  by  the  unexpected 


DO    YOU    REMEMKER  ?'' 


8o  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

arrival  of  his  little  friend,  and  made  room  for  her  on  the  bench 
beside  him. 

"  Do  you  remember  ?"  Hazel  at  once  began,  without  waiting  to 
command  sufficient  breath,  "  that  the  last  time — I  was  here — you 
asked — if  there  was  anything — an  old  sergeant  could  do  for  me  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  remember,  Miss  Hazel." 

"  And  do  you  think  the  other  men  meant  what  they  said  when 
they  asked  if  there  was  anything  they  could  do  for  me  ?" 

"  Yes,  I'll  wager  they  did." 

"  Well,  now,  there  is  something,  Sergeant  Bellows,  a  real  impor 
tant  something,  and  this  is  it,"  and  straightway  Hazel's  voice 
subsided  into  such  a  confidential  whisper,  that  even  the  Sergeant 
lost  a  word  now  and  then,  but  he  smiled  and  nodded  assent  all  the 
while,  to  Hazel's  great  delight. 

As  for  us,  it  is  needless  to  bother  our  heads  with  all  she  told 
him,  particularly  as  we  shall  see  what  came  of  it  in  the  very  next 
chapter. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


FLUTTERS    HAS    A    BENEFIT. 

HE  warm  and  hazy  Sep 
tember  days  were  over. 
The  first  of  October  had 
come  in  by  the  calendar, 
but  although  its  sun  had 
not  yet  peeped  over  the 
horizon,  there  were  un 
mistakable  signs  in  the 
east  which  heralded  its 
coming.  As  for  Hazel, 
she  was  up  "with  the 
lark,"  as  the  saying  goes, 
and  with  good  reason, 
too,  for  never  did  any 
mere  little  feathered 
songstress  have  as  much 
in  hand  as  had  she  for 
that  first  day  of  Octo 
ber,  and  it  all  depend 
ed  upon  the  weather. 
What  wonder,  then,  with  so  much  on  her  mind,  that  the  first 
ray  of  daylight  succeeded  in  shimmering  in  beneath  the  long 
lashes  of  her  eyes,  first  setting  their  lids . a-tremble  and  then  pry 
ing  them  open,  so  that  their  little  owner  soon  found  herself  wide 
awake,  and  that  the  eventful  day  had  dawned.  But  what  sort  of  a 
day  was  it  going  to  be,  that  was  the  all-important  question.  Hazel 
threw  open  the  shutters  of  her  window.  The  vine  that  crept  along 
its  sill  was  dripping  wet — could  it  be  raining  ?  She  stretched  out  a 


82  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

little  brown  hand  that  was  all  of  a  tremble  with  excitement,  to  test 
if  rain  were  really  falling.  No,  not  a  drop.  It  was  dew  on  the 
vines,  of  course  ;  how  foolish  not  to  have  thought  of  that !  But 
what  made  the  sky  so  gray  ?  Was  it  cloudy  ?  "Then  she  tripped 
over  to  the  clock.  Why,  so  early  as  that  !  Then  perhaps  the  sun 
was  not  up  yet.  No,  come  to  look  again,  of  course  it  wasn't,  it  was 
just  daylight. 

Having  reached  this  conclusion,  Hazel,  wisely  slipping  into  a 
flannel  wrapper  and  a  pair  of  bedroom  slippers,  sat  down  to  wait 
the  rising  of  that  very  lazy  sun,  and  soon  he  came.  She  watched 
till  he  was  full  above  the  horizon,  then  assuring  herself  that  there 
were  no  threatening  clouds  anywhere,  crept  back  into  bed,  wrapper, 
slippers,  and  all,  with  a  mind  quite  at  ease,  and  in  just  the  sort  of  a 
mood  for  the  most  refreshing  of  little  morning  naps. 

One,  two,  one,  two,  Company  F  was  marking  time  pre 
paratory  to  marching  on  again,  and  Sergeant  Bellows  was  in 
command. 

It  was  two  o'clock  now,  and  the  sun,  for  whose  dawning  Hazel 
had  watched  so  eagerly,  was  well  on  his  journey,  and  shining  down 
on  the  burnished  flint-locks  and  scarlet  coats  of  Company  F,  coats 
which  looked  bravely  in  the  morning  sunlight,  notwithstanding 
many  a  stain  and  mark  of  active  service.  But  not  for  any  skirmish 
ing  with  their  enemies  were  those  English  soldiers  under  marching 
orders,  for  never  again  were  they  to  wage  battle  with  the  colonists 
on  American  soil.  It  was  now  nearly  two  years  since  the  great 
battle  of  Yorktown,  when  the  British  soldiers  had  laid  down 
their  arms,  and  Lord  Cornwallis's  sword  had  been  surrendered 
to  General  Washington,  and  it  would  not  be  long  before  the  whole 
army,  under  command  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  would  go  sailing  home 
ward  down  the  harbor,  and  not  a  British  roll-call,  nor  a  soldier 
answering  to  it,  would  be  heard  anywhere  in  the  land.  But,  some 
how  or  other,  notwithstanding  all  this,  Company  F,  '  of  His 
Majesty's  service,  did  not  look  very  crestfallen,  as  they  stood  there 
marking  time,  until  a  great  overhanging  load  of  hay  should  leave 
the  road  clear  ahead  of  them.  They  had  had  plenty  of  time  to  get 
used  to  the  thought  of  not  having  beaten  the  Yankees;  in  fact, 
some  of  them  went  so  far  as  to  openly  express  their  honest  admira 
tion  for  the  plucky,  desperate  fashion  in  which  those  some  poorly- 


FLUTTERS  HAS   A    BENEFIT.  83 

equipped  Yankees  had  fought,  and  did  not  begrudge  them  their 
hard-earned  victory.  Then  in  seven  weeks  more  they  were  to  turn 
their  faces  toward  home  and  England  ;  toward  England,  which  some 
of  them  had  not  seen  for  eight  long  years ;  toward  home,  where 
little  children  had  outgrown  their  childhood,  where  dear  wife  faces  had 
grown  worn  with  waiting,  and  where  white-haired  mothers,  wearied 
with  watching,  had  perhaps  been  laid  at  rest  in  the  little  village 
churchyards.  But,  come  weal  or  woe,  they  were  soon  going  home  ; 
you  could  see  their  faces  daily  grow  brighter  with  the  thought,  and 
happening  this  morning  to  have  a  most  novel  entertainment  in 
prospect,  what  wonder  that  almost  every  one  wore  an  amused  smile, 
and  that  every  eye  twinkled  merrily.  The  clumsy  hay-load  slowly 
moved  out  of  the  way,  and  then  came  the  order,  '•  For'ard,  march  T 
from  Sergeant  Bellows,  and  off  they  went,  with  even  swing  up 
Broadway,  turning  off  at  the  Albany  coach  road,  and  then  on  out 
into  the  country.  "  Halt  !"  called  Sergeant  Bellows  at  last,  and 
Company  F  halted  right  in  front  of  Captain  Boniface's  cottage.  It 
could  not  have  been  that  they  were  not  expected,  for  Hazel,  with 
beaming  smile,  stood  holding  the  gate  wide  open,  and  the  men  filed 
in  and  took  their  seats  in  chairs  which  had  evidently  been  placed  in 
rows  in  the  garden  for  them.  The  chairs  fronted  the  porch,  and 
were  grouped  in  semicircular  shape  about  the  wide  steps  leading  up 
to  it,  at  the  top  of  which  a  curtain  (for  which  two  blanket  shawls 
had  been  made  to  do  duty)  hung  suspended,  the  cord  that  held  it 
being  fastened  to  the  (luted  column  at  either  end.  That  the  shawls 
were  of  widely  differing  plaids,  and  at  great  variance  in  the  matter 
of  color,  only  added  to  the  generally  fantastic  effect.  Without 
doubt  there  was  going  to  be  some  sort  of  a  performance,  and  it  was 
easy  now  to  guess  that  Hazel's  "  'rangements"  had  been  in  the  line  of 
preparation  for  it,  and  easy  now  to  understand  why  her  little  lady 
ship  had  been  up  with  the  lark,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  what  sort  of 
a  day  it  was  going  to  be.  Somehow  or  other  I  should  not  in  the 
least  wonder  if  the  "  Old  Man  of  the  Weather"  loves  to  have  a  little 
child  place  implicit  trust  in  him  now  and  then';  surely  he  does,  if  he 
is  at  all  like  some  of  the  rest  of  us  whom  you  little  folks  call  old. 
At  any  rate  the  weather  not  only  favored  Hazel's  project,  but  seemed 
just  to  give  itself  up  to  making  everything  comfortable  for  every 
body.  The  sun  saw  to  it  that  the  old  house  cast  a  broad  square 


84  A    LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

shadow  in  front  of  it  that  was  more  than  large  enough  to  cover  the 
space  where  the  men  were  seated,  and  the  wind  saw  to  it  that  a  suf 
ficiently  strong  little  breeze  was  blowing  to  temper  the  early  after 
noon  sunshine,  and  everything  conspired  to  make  it  a  perfect 
October  day,  a  sort  of  good  example,  as  it  were,  for  the  thirty  other 
October  days  that  were  to  follow  it. 

At  last  it  was  time  for  that  mysterious  many-colored  curtain  to 
be  drawn  aside,  and  certain  vigorous  jerkings  of  the  shawls  showed 
that  an  attempt  was  being  made  in  that  direction.  What  did  it 
matter  to  Company  F  if  it  did  not  work  with  all  the  smoothness  to 
be  desired,  since  it  finally  disclosed  to  them  as  fair  a  little  specimen 
of  humanity  as  the  eyes  of  most  of  them  had  ever  rested  upon.  In 
the  centre  of  the  stage,  or  rather  of  that  portion  of  the  porch  which 
had  been  divided  off  for  it,  sat  Hazel's  little  sister  in  an  old- 
fashioned  high-back  chair,  her  pretty  slippered  feet  reaching  but  a 
little  way  over  its  edge,  and  her  little  dimpled  hands  folded  in  her  lap 
in  most  complacent  fashion.  She  wore  a  short-waisted,  quaint  little 
white  dress,  barely  short  enough  to  show  the  prettily  slippered  feet. 

Not  at  all  dismayed  was  little  Kate  at  the  sight  of  so  many  soldiers 
seated  there  in  such  formal  array  before  her.  What  was  every 
beautiful  Red  Coat  but  another  embodiment  of  her  own  dear  papa ; 
and  not  in  the  least  alarmed  was  she  by  the  loud  applause  which 
the  mere  sight  of  her  elicited  from  admiring  Company  F.  She 
turned  her  pretty  head  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  her  little 
face  wreathed  in  smiles,  and  seeming  to  say  in  silent  baby-fashion, 
"Thank  you,  gentlemen."  Not  that  she  could  not  talk.  No,  in 
deed,  do  not  think  that  for  a  moment ;  her  baby  tongue  could  move 
with  all  the  insistent  chatter  of  a  little  English  sparrow ;  but  the 
right  time  had  not  come  yet.  As  soon  as  the  applause  had  some 
what  abated,  Hazel  herself  appeared  on  the  scene,  arrayed  in  a 
jaunty  little  riding-habit,  and  with  cheeks  aglow  with  excitement, 
looking  prettier,  perhaps,  than  ever  before  in  her  life.  As  was  to 
be  expected,  her  appearance  was  the  cause  for  renewed  applause ; 
but  finally  all  was  quiet,  and  she  stepped  forward  to  deliver  a  little 
speech  which  had  been  carefully  thought  over.  She  had  insisted 
upon  wearing  her  riding-habit,  because,  as  she  had  told  her  mother, 
she  was  to  be  a  sort  of  showman.  Of  course  she  did  not  want  to 
wear  boys'  clothes,  but  the  riding-habit  seemed  sort  of  a  go-be- 


FLUTTERS  HAS  A   BENEFIT.  85 

tween,  "  and  more  like  the  thing  a  lady  who  managed  a  private 
circus  would  wear."  So  Mrs.  Boniface  consented,  and  Josephine, 
in  helping  Hazel  to  dress,  had  added  an  extra  touch  or  two.  Her 
habit  was  made  of  gray  cloth,  with  a  long,  full  skirt  that  came 
within  a  foot  of  the  ground  when  Hazel  was  on  her  pony  ;  but  in 
order  that  she  should  be  able  to  move  about  the  platform  as  freely 
as  was  necessary,  Josephine  had  caught  the  skirt  up  on  one  side, 
fastening  it  with  two  or  three  brilliant  red  chrysanthemums,  and 
pinning  a  bunch  of  the  same  bright  flowers  against  her  waist.  On 
her  head  she  wore  a  black  velvet  jockey  cap  which  had  been  sent 
her  by  her  grandpa  from  England,  and  which  completed  the  jaunti- 
ness  of  her  costume. 

"Members  of  Company  F,"  Hazel  began,  holding  her  riding- 
whip  in  both  hands  before  her,  "  I  wish  to  thank  you  for  coming 
here  this  afternoon,  and  to  tell  you  that  I  hope  you  will  feel  repaid 
for  your  long  march  out  from  the  city." 

"No  doubt  about  that,  Miss  Hazel,"  Sergeant  Bellows  called 
out,  heartily. 

"  Thank  you,  Sergeant;"  but  Hazel's  manner  was  somewhat  stiff, 
as  though  she  preferred  that  more  formality  should  be  observed. 
"  But  before  commencing  our  performance,"  she  continued,  "  I  must 
ask  you  to  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  get  up  a 
regular  circus  in  a  private  family,  'specially  at  such  very  short 
notice.  There  was  no  time  to  teach  anything  new,  even  to  the 
baby,  who  learns  very  easily,  and  it  was  just  by  good  luck  that 
Prince  and  Kate  and  Delta  knew  some  little  tricks  already.  As  for 
Flutters,  it  will  not  take  you  long  to  discover  that  his  part  of  the 
performance  needs  no  apology." 

Hazel  concluded  her  little  speech  with  a  graceful  bow,  and, 
turning  toward  Kate,  who  still  sat  smiling,  announced:  "I  have 
now  the  pleasure,  gentlemen,  of  introducing  to  you  Miss  Kate 
Boniface,  as  fine  a  little  three-year-old  as  ever  was  reared  in  West- 
chester  County.  Miss  Kate  is  quite  a  favorite  with  the  manage 
ment,  being,  what  we  consider,  a  most  gifted  little  lady.  She  has 
an  original  little  dance  of  her  own,  one  little  song,  and  one  little 
piece,  which  she  speaks  with  dramatic  effect." 

"Which  s'all  I  do  first,  Hazel?"  asked  Kate,  in  a  most  audible 
whisper,  when  she  saw  that  it  was  time  for  her  to  commence. 


"MEMBERS  OF  COMPANY  F,  I  WISH  TO  THANK  YOU  FOR  COMING  HERE  THIS  AFTERNOON. 


FLUTTERS  HAS   A    BENEFIT.  87 

"Why,  the  dance  of  course,  child,"  Hazel  answered,  forgetting 
their  relations  of  manager  and  artiste. 

"  But  where's  de  music?" 

Sure  enough,  where  was  the  music?  "Job,"  called  Hazel, 
blushing  up  to  the  roots  of  her  hair  with  embarrassment,  "  we  are 
waiting  for  you." 

"Coming,  Mrs.  Manager,"  came  the  answer,  and  a  moment  later 
Starlight  bounded  through  the  green  boughs,  which  had  been  ar 
ranged  at  the  back  of  the  scene,  violin  in  hand,  and  in  a  costume 
befitting  the  clown  of  the  performance.  His  resemblance  to  the 
real  article  was  truly  quite  remarkable,  for  Cousin  Harry  had 
taken  a  great  deal  of  "interest  in  his  "make-up,"  and  the  result  was 
a  face  as  white,  with  cheeks  as  red  and  eyebrows  as  high,  black,  and 
arching,  as  were  ever  attained  by  Mr.  John  Dreyfus,  the  English 
clown  of  world-renowned  reputation.  Starlight  was  able  to  play 
half-a-dozen  tunes  on  an  old  violin  which  had  belonged  to  his 
grandfather,  and  this  formed  a  most  attractive  and  most  important 
feature  of  the  Boniface  circus.  Otherwise  Company  F  would  have 
been  obliged  to  forego  little  Kate's  dancing,  than  which  nothing 
was  ever  daintier  or  prettier.  But  not  an  inch  would  her  little 
ladyship  move  from  her  chair  till  Starlight  had  gone  through  a 
series  of  scrapings  called  "tuning  up,"  and  a  merry  little  dancing 
tune  was  well  under  way.  Then  she  jumped  down,  and  running  to 
the  front  of  the  platform  made  the  most  bewitching  of  conven 
tional  little  bows,  pressing  the  fingers  of  both  hands  to  her  lips,  as 
if  generously  to  throw  the  sweetest  of  kisses  broadcast.  It  was 
very  evident,  then,  to  the  Red  Coats— Miss  Hazel  to  the  contrary- 
that  there  had  been  time  enough  to  teach  little  Kate  one  new  trick 
at  any  rate ;  but  the  Dancing  itself  was  a  matter  of  Kate's  own  crea 
tion,  and  of  a  sort  that  baffles  description.  She  had  never  seen  any 
one  dance,  no  one  had  taught  her,  but  as  naturally  as  a  little  duck 
takes  to  the  water,  had  her  little  feet  taken  to  dancing  on  that 
evening  when,  for  the  first  time,  Starlight  had  brought  his  violin 
to  the  Bonifaces'.  For  fully  ten  minutes,  to  the  great  delight  of 
Company  F,  little  Kate  kept  time  in  a  variety  of  intricate  and 
pretty  little  motions  to  the  rhythm  of  the  old  violin— a  sort  of  danc 
ing  in  which  slow  and  graceful  gestures  of  dimpled  arms  and  hands 
played  almost  as  important  part  as  the  little  feet  themselves.  In- 


88 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


deed,  the  whole  proceeding  was  a  deliberate  one,  owing  to  an   in 
ability  on  Starlight's   part  to  play  any  faster ;    but  to   my  thinking 


"  THE  DANCING  WAS  A  MATTER  OF  KATE'S  OWN  CREATION." 

all  the  prettier  for  that,  and  far  more  becoming  to  such  a  dignified 
little  maiden. 

As  for  Company  F,  it  would  have  liked  nothing  better  than  a 


FLUTTERS  HAS  A    BENEFIT.  89 

whole  half-hour  of  dancing;  but  "Mrs.  Manager"  wisely  protested, 
and  after  the  little  song  had  been  rendered  with  "violin  accompani 
ment,"  and  the  little  piece  spoken  "with  dramatic  effect,"  Miss 
Kate  Boniface  tripped  from  the  stage  'midst  hearty  peals  of 
applause,  and  Mrs.  Manager,  as  Starlight  had  called  Hazel,  came 
once  more  to  the  front. 

"  I  shall  now  have  the  pleasure  of  acquainting  you,  gentlemen,"" 
she  said,  with  all  the  superiority  of  a  veritable  showman,  "  with  my 
own  little  thoroughbred,  one  of  the  most  knowing  and  accom 
plished  of  Shetland  ponies.  Mr.  Lightfoot,  will  you  have  the 
kindness  to  bring  Miss  Gladys  into  the  ring?"  whereupon  Starlight, 
otherwise  Mr.  Lightfoot,  led  the  pony  on  to  the  stage,  or,  I  should 
say,  "into  the  ring,"  as  Hazel  preferred  to  regard  it  from  a  strictly 
professional  point  of  view.  Gladys  had  been  groomed  by  Starlight 
and  Flutters  to  within  an  inch  of  her  life,  in  preparation  for  the 
occasion,  and,  indeed,  she  sorely  needed  it.  The  fact  was  that  she 
had  been  turned  out  for  the  last  two  months  owing  to  an  un 
fortunate  gall  on  her  back  which  had  refused  to  heal  under  the 
saddle ;  so,  while  her  mistress  had  been  dependent  upon  Albany 
coaches  for  such  excursions  as  she  wished  to  take  into  the  city, 
Miss  Gladys  had  been  kicking  up  her  heels  and  running  races  with 
herself  in  the  most  inviting  of  clover  fields.  Only  yesterday  had 
she  been  enjoying  all  this  freedom,  with  burrs  in  her  tail  and  burrs 
in  her  mane,  and  with  never  so  much  as  a  halter,  and  here  she 
was  to-day  tricked  out  in  blue  ribbons,  with  her  coat  smoothed 
down  to  look  as  silky  as  possible,  and  with  her  four  pretty  little 
hoofs  oiled  up  to  a  state  of  shiny  blackness,  but  without  the  sign  of 
shoe  on  any  one  of  them.  There  had  been  no  time,  indeed,  to 
have  Miss  Gladys  shod,  nor  was  there  any  need  of  it,  as,  after  to 
day's  performance,  back  she  was  to  go  again,  for  at  least  another 
month  more,  to  all  the  wild  dissipation  of  pony  life  in  a  clover 
field.  Of  course  she  was  astonished  at  the  sight  of  the  soldiers,  but 
she  had  been  rehearsing  with  Starlight  and  Hazel  for  a  whole  hour 
that  morning  in  that  sort  of  "box  stall"  which  formed  the  scene  of 
the  circus,  and  so,  being  somewhat  familiar  with  the  place,  contented 
herself  with  an  occasional  pricking-up  of  her  black-pointed  ears, 
which  only  gave  her  a  more  spirited  look,  and,  on  the  whole,  was 
extremely  becoming. 


90  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"  Now,  Miss  Gladys,"  said  Hazel,  when  she  had  succeeded  in 
getting  her  posed  to  her  liking,  "  I  would  like  you  to  answer  a  few 
questions,  and  for  each  correct  answer  you  shall  have  a  beautiful 
lump  of  white  sugar.  Mr.  Lightfoot,  have  you  the  sugar  ready?" 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Manager,"  answered  Starlight,  who,  in  his  capacity  of 
clown,  was  endeavoring  all  the  while  to  keep  up  a  funny  sort  of  by 
play,  and  sometimes  succeeding;  "yes,  Mrs.  Manager,  the  sugar  is 
all  ready.  I  have  placed,  as  you  perceive,  five  lumps  upon  either 
extended  palm,  and  would  like  to  make  this  arrangement,  that  when 
the  pony  makes  a  mistake  I  may  be  allowed  to  eat  the  sugar." 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Lightfoot,  I  am  quite  agreeable  to  the  arrange 
ment;  but,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  the  pony  thinks  you  are  likely  to 
fare  rather  poorly;  how  about  that,  Miss  Gladys?  Do  you  intend 
that  Mr.  Lightfoot  shall  enjoy  more  than  one  of  those  lumps  of 
sugar  ?"  Hazel  stood  leaning  against  the  pony's  side,  lightly  swing 
ing  her  riding-whip  in  apparently  aimless  fashion  in  her  left  hand, 
but  in  answer  to  her  question,  Miss  Gladys  shook  her  pretty  head 
from  side  to  side  with  as  decided  an  assertion  in  the  negative  as 
though  she  had  been  able  to  voice  an  audible  "  No."  "  There!  what 
did  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Lightfoot?" 

"  Why  !  did  Miss  Gladys  answer  ?     I  didn't  hear  her." 

"  Of  course  you  did  not  hear  her.  She  answered  by  shaking  her 
head.  Ponies  can't  talk." 

"What  !  can't  Miss  Gladys  say  a  word?" 

"  No,  certainly  not." 

"Not  even  neigh?" 

"That's  a  very  bad  pun,  Mr.  Lightfoot.  Don't  you  think  so, 
Miss  Gladys?"  Up  and  down  went  the  pony's  head  in  ready 
assent. 

"  Two  questions  answered  with  remarkable  judgment.  Now, 
two  lumps  of  sugar,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Lightfoot." 

Gladys  eagerly  ate  the  sugar  from  Hazel's  gloved  hand  (for 
sugar  was  one  of  the  few  creature  delights  a  clover  field  failed  to 
offer,  that  is,  in  any  form  more  concrete  than  the  sweetness  of  a 
withered  clover  head),  and  looked  as  though  perfectly  willing  to 
continue  the  process  for  an  almost  indefinite  period.  Indeed,  for  a 
long  time  Hazel  continued  to  ply  her  with  questions  of  great 
moment  to  Company  F,  such  as,  "  Is  Sergeant  Bellows  the  best 


FLUTTERS  HAS  A    BENEFIT.  91 

sergeant  in  his  regiment?"  "  Is  'Company  F'  the  finest  company?" 
and  so  on,  to  all  of  which  Miss  Gladys  gave  only  the  most  compli 
mentary  of  answers.  Just  when  this- part  of  the  performance  was 
coming  to  a  close,  Mr.  Lightfoot  stepped  up  to  the  pony,  and  said, 
in  beseeching  fashion,  "  Look  here,  Miss  Gladys,  on  the  whole,  you 
think  I'm  a  pretty  good  sort  of  a  fellow,  now,  don't  you?"  The 
pony  looked  at  Starlight  a  moment,  and  then  shook  her  head,  "Yes," 
in  a  most  decided  manner.  "That's  a  darling,"  Starlight  exclaimed, 
swinging  himself  on  to  Gladys's  back,  in  compliance  with  an  order 
received  from  Hazel,  and  with  his  head  resting  on  her  mane  and  his 
arms  clasped  round  her  prettily-arched  neck,  rode  off  the  stage. 
The  soldiers,  of  course,  were  at  first  considerably  astonished  at  the 
pony's  intelligent  answers,  but  it  did  not  take  most  of  them  long  to 
discover  that  the  shakings  of  Miss  Gladys's  head  were  in  every  case 
controlled  by  a  touch  of  Hazel's  whip.  A  gentle  application  of  the 
lash  on  the  right  foreleg  for  yes  and  the  same  motion  on  the  left 
one  for  no.  Hazel  had  tried  to  conceal  this  little  motion  as  best 
she  could,  but  it  was  naturally  not  an  easy  matter,  and  when  Miss 
Gladys  had  been  kind  enough  to  answer  "  Yes"  to  Mr.  Lightfoot's 
question,  it  was  only  because  Hazel's  whip  was  in  Starlight's  hand, 
and  the  pony,  felt  the  same  familiar  sensation  upon  her  left  fore 
leg. 

Perhaps  you  wonder  how  it  was  that  a  little  country  pony  was 
so  unusually  accomplished.  Well,  to  tell  the  truth,  Captain  Boni 
face  deserved  all  the  credit  of  it,  and  Hazel  none  at  all.  When 
Hazel  herself  was  but  a  week  old  that  pony  had  been  bought  for 
her,  and,  as  soon  as  she  was  able  to  take  notice  of  anything,  Gladys 
used  to  be  trotted  out  daily  for  her  inspection.  And  so  it  happened 
that  while  Captain  Boniface  was  waiting  for  his  little  daughter  to 
grow  large  enough  to  ride  her,  he  used  to  amuse  himself,  and  Hazel 
as  well,  by  endeavoring  to  teach  the  pony  a  few  knowing  tricks. 
They  had  required  a  world  of  patience,  and  with  none  of  them  had 
he  been  so  successful  as  with  what  he  called  the  "  pony  shake,"  and 
which  just  had  been  exhibited  to  so  much  advantage. 

"That  Miss  Hazel's  a  cute  un,"  said  one  of  the  soldiers,  in  the 
little  intermission  that  followed  the  exit  of  the  pony. 

"  Cute's  no  name  for  it,"  answered  Sergeant  Bellows. 

"  She  reminds  me  of  my  own  little  girl  at  home,  whom  I  haven't 


92  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

seen  in  a  five-year,"  said  the  other,  while  a  little  mistiness  betrayed 
itself  in  his  soldier  eyes. 

"  She  may  mind  ye  of  her,"  answered  the  Sergeant,  not  unkindly, 
"  but  there  isn't  a  child  anywhere,  I'm  thinking,  that  can  hold  a 
candle  to  Miss  Hazel."  You  see  Sergeant  Bellows  was  an  old 
bachelor,  and  without  a  relative  in  the  world  whom  he  cared  for, 
and  perhaps  that  accounted  in  a  measure  for  his  adoration  of 
Hazel,  though,  no  doubt,  the  little  daughter  of  the  red-haired  soldier, 
who- was  probably  red-haired  too,  was  just  as  charming  in  the  eyes 
of  her  father  as  Hazel  in  the  eyes  of  the  lonely  old  Sergeant.  But 
further  discussion  as  to  comparative  merits  was  brought  to  an  end 
by  the  reappearance  of  Starlight  on  the  stage,  accompanied  by  his 
dog,  Lord  Nelson,  who,  much  against  his  will,  had  been  dragged 
aboard  of  the  "  Gretchen  "  that  morning,  and  imported  from  his 
kennel  at  Paulus  Hook  especially  for  the  occasion.  Lord  Nelson 
possessed  quite  a  varied  set  of  accomplishments,  none  of  them  very 
remarkable,  however,  and  after  Lord  Nelson  came  Flutters! 
Flutters  in  velvet  and  spangles,  Flutters  of  The  Great  English 
Circus,  and  who  straightway  proceeded  to  make  the  eyes  of  Com 
pany  F  open  wide  with  astonishment  at  his  truly  wonderful  tum 
bling  and  somersaults.  There  was  no  slipping  of  the  little  knee-cap 
to-day.  It  seemed  to  Flutters  quite  impossible  in  the  happy  life  he 
was  leading,  that  knee-caps  or  anything  else  that  concerned  him 
should  ever  get  much  out  of  order  again. 

As  may  be  easily  imagined,  the  audience  would  not  be  satisfied 
till  Flutters  had  favored  them  with  repeated  encores,  but  when  the 
performance  was  at  last  concluded,  there  was  a  call  for  the  entire 
troupe,  and,  in  response,  out  they  came,  hand-in-hand,  Hazel  and 
Kate,  Starlight  and  Flutters;  Starlight  leading  Lord  Nelson 
with  the  hand  that  was  free,  and  Flutters  Miss  Gladys.  A  low, 
smiling  bow  from  them  all — for  even  Gladys  and  Lord  Nelson 
were  made  to  give  a  compulsory  nod — then  the  line  retreated  a  foot 
or  two,  the  shawl-curtain  dropped  into  place,  and  the  entertainment 
was  over.  At  least  so  thought  Company  F,  but  it  was  mistaken, 
for  no  sooner  had  Hazel  and  Starlight  disappeared  behind  the 
curtain,  than  out  they  came  in  front  of  it,  and  then  down  among  the 
soldiers,  Starlight  carrying  a  tray  full  of  glasses  filled  with  the 
most  inviting  lemonade,  and  Hazel  following  with  an  old-fashioned 


FLUTTERS  HAS  A    BENEFIT.  93 

silver  cake-basket  heaped  high  with  delicious  sponge  cake  of 
Josephine's  best  manufacture.  Then  for  half-an-hour  they  had 
quite  a  social  time  of  it.  Captain  and  Mrs.  Boniface,  who  had 
watched  the  performance  from  two  comfortable  chairs  at  the  rear  of 
Company  F,  were  talking  with  some  of  the  men  ;  Flutters,  who, 
for  very  good  reasons,  was  still  in  costume,  was  the  centre  of 
another  little  group  ;  while  Kate,  from  the  safe  vantage  point  of 
Josephine's  lap,  chatted  away,  to  the  great  entertainment  of  old 
Sergeant  Bellows.  Suddenly  the  Sergeant  seemed  to  recall  some 
thing  important,  for  he  jumped  up,  seized  his  hat,  arid  began  pass 
ing  it  from  one  to  another  of  the  men,  all  of  whom  had,  apparently, 
come  prepared  for  this  feature  of  the  entertainment. 

Hazel  was  greatly  relieved  when  she  saw  the  hat  in  active  cir 
culation.  She  had  felt  afraid  that  the  Sergeant  had  forgotten  this 
part  of  the  programme,  and  did  not  fancy  the  idea  of  having  to 
remind  him  of  it.  Indeed  he  had  come  pretty  near  forgetting  it,  so 
absorbed  had  he  been  in  the  charms  of  little  Kate,  but  as  a  result  of 
the  collection  taken  up  by  the  Sergeant,  Hazel  found  herself  in  pos 
session  of  a  contribution  sufficiently  generous  to  purchase  a  fine  little 
outfit  for  Flutters.  And  so  it  came  about  that  Flutters  had  a 
"  benefit"  and  Company  F  an  afternoon  of  what  they  termed  "  rare 
good  fun." 


CHAPTER  X. 


DARLING    OLD    AUNT    FRANCES. 

ERHAPS  you  think  that 
is  a  queer  title  for  a  chap 
ter.  You  would  not  think 
it  queer  at  all  if  you  had 
known  her,  for  that  is  ex 
actly  what  she  was,  and 
now  and  then  it  is  just  as 
well  to  call  people  by  their 
right  names.  She  was  not 
old,  however,  in  the  sense 
of  being  wrinkled  and 
white-haired  and  thin. 
Sometime,  when  some 
body  has  been  very  kind 
to  you,  and  has  done  you 
a  "  good  turn"  in  real  re 
liable  fashion,  haven't  you 
just  rushed  up  to  them 
and  exclaimed,  "You  dear  old  thing,"  as  if  any  mere  young 
thing  would  be  quite  incapable  of  such  a  deed  of  loving-kindness  ? 
Well,  in  just  the  sense  of  being  very  kind  and  very  reliable,  Aunt 
Frances  was  old,  and  in  no  other.  To  be  sure,  she  was  nearing  her 
fiftieth  birthday,  and  there  was  a  generous  sprinkling  of  gray  hair 
on  her  temples,  but  the  gray  hair  only  made  her  face  softer  and 
sweeter,  and  her  heart  was  no  older  than  bonny  Kate's. 

Well,  Aunt  Frances  sat  knitting  in  a  high-backed  rocker  on  the 
wide  step  in  front  of  the  Van  Vleet's  door,  a  step  that  was  made 
from  one  great  unhewn  stone,  but  whose  roughnesses  had  been 


DARLING    OLD   AUNT  FRANCES.  95 

rounded  down  by  the  rains  and  storms  of  a  hundred  summers  and 
winters.  On  the  edge  of  the  step,  with  his  back  against  one  of  the 
large  tubs  of  hydrangea  which  flanked  the  wide  door-step  on  either 
side,  sat  Harry  Avery.  He  had  been  silent  for  a  long  while.  He 
was  trying  to  get  his  courage  up  to  say  something  to  Aunt  Frances, 
something  that  he  knew  it  would  grieve  her  to  hear,  and  she  had 
had  so  much  to  bear  lately,  he  could  not  easily  bring  himself  to  it. 
"  Aunt  Frances,"  he  said,  at  last,  "  I  know  you'll  be  sorry  about  it, 
but  I  think  I  shall  have  to  go  away  to-morrow." 

"Why,  Harry,  what  do  you  mean?"  while  the  tears  gathered  as 
quickly  in  her  kind  eyes  as  the  clouds  of  an  April  shower  darken 
an  April  sky,  "  and  besides,  where  will  you  go?" 

"  Home,  I  suppose,"  and  then  it  would  have  been  an  easy  thing 
for  Harry,  grown  fellow  that  he  was,  to  have  mustered  a  few  honest 
tears  on  his  own  account. 

"  You  see  I  am  not  willing  to  stay  here  any  longer  since  you 
have  to  pay  my  board.  And  then  you  have  so  little  money  com 
ing  in  now." 

"  But  the  Van  Vleets  only  allow  me  to  pay  a  very  small  sum, 
and,  Harry,  you  are  such  a  comfort  to  me.  Starlight's  a  dear,  good 
boy,  but  he  is  not  old  enough  for  me  to  burden  him  with  all  my 
troubles  as  I  do  you.  Tell  me  this,  do  you  want  to  go  home  ?" 

"  No,  I  do  not  want  to  go  home  in  the  least.  You  know  what 
I  mean.  I'd  give  a  great  deal  to  see  father  and  mother  and  the 
youngsters ;  but  there's  nothing  for  me  to  do  in  New  London — that 
is,  not  the  sort  of  work  that  I  think  I  am  equal  to,  and,  after  leav 
ing  it  the  way  I  did,  I  hate  to  go  back  empty-handed.  Then,  I'm 
sure,  father  would  much  rather  I'd  find  something  to  do  in  New 
York.  He  believes  there  is  a  good  deal  more  of  a  chance  for  a 
fellow  here." 

"And  you  have  heard  of  nothing,  Harry;  nothing  whatever?" 
Aunt  Frances  let  her  knitting  fall  in  her  lap,  and  looked  straight 
at  Harry  as  she  spoke.  There  was  something  strange  about  this 
direct  look  from  Aunt  Frances.  It  seemed  to  compel  the  exact 
truth  from  everybody,  even  from  Pat,  the  Van  Vleets'  hired  man, 
who  did  not  ordinarily  hesitate  in  telling  an  untruth  if  it  would 
make  things  more  comfortable.  And  so  Harry  did  not  even  suc 
ceed  in  making  an  evasive  reply,  as  he  should  like  to  have  done, 


"AUNT  FRANCES  LET  HER  KNITTING  FALL  IN  HER  LAP,  AND  LOOKED  STRAIGHT  AT  HARRY. 


DARLING    OLD   AUNT  FRANCES.  97 

but  just  answered,  very  simply  and  honestly :  "  Yes,  Aunt  Frances, 
I  did  hear  of  something — a  clerkship  in  a  lawyer's  office — but  I  de 
cided  not  to  take  it." 

"  Decided  not  to  take  it  ?  Why,  that  is  the  very  position  you 
said  you  would  like  above  all  others  !" 

"Did  I  say  that?  well,  fellows  are  queer  sometimes,  aren't 
they?" 

"  Harry  Avery,  there  is  something  mysterious  about  all  this. 
What  was  the  name  of  the  lawyer?" 

"  Oh,  no  matter,  Auntie  !  The  whole  matter's  decided.  I  made 
up  my  mind  not  to  take  it,  and  that  ends  it." 

Aunt  Frances  was  not  to  be  silenced  in  this  fashion.  She 
had  a  right  to  search  this  matter  out,  and  search  it  she  would. 
"Harry,"  as  if  she  were  speaking  to  some  little  child,  "  Harry,  look 
me  right  in  the  eyes,  and  tell  me,  was  it  Colonel  Hamilton  ?" 

"  Yes;"  but  Harry  looked  off  at  the  river.  He  had  not  the  sort 
of  courage  to  look  Aunt  Frances  "right  in  the  eyes,"  as  she  bade 
him,  for  if  there  was  a  man  anywhere  whom  she  had  a  right 
thoroughly  to  despise,  surely  it  was  Colonel  Hamilton — Colonel 
Hamilton,  whose  skilful  reasoning  had  deprived  her  of  the  home 
that  was  almost  as  dear  to  her  as  life  itself. 

"  Is  the  position  still  open  to  you?"  Aunt  Frances  was  now  gaz 
ing  off  to  the  river,  and  with  the  mark  of  deep  thinking  on  her 
face.  "If  it  is,  you  must  take  it.  Colonel  Hamilton  is  a  great 
lawyer.  It  is  as  fine  an  opening  as  you  could  possibly  desire.  I, 
for  one,  have  no  notion  of  standing  in  your  light,  Harry,  and  you 
must  not  do  yourself  the  injustice  of  standing  in  your  own." 

"  But,  Aunt  Frances— 

"  No,  don't  interrupt  me,  Harry;  only  listen,  like  a  good  boy, 
and  do  just  as  I  tell  you.  Take  the  'Gretchen'  first  thing  in  the 
morning,  go  straight  to  Colonel  Hamilton's  office,  and  apply  for  the 
place.  Tell  him  all  about  yourself,  and  answer  every  question  he 
may  ask  in  the  most  straightforward  manner,  but  do  not  volunteer 
the  information  that  you  are  a  relative  of  mine.  It  would  not  do 
you  any  good  and  it  might  do  harm — that  is,  it  might  incline  the 
Colonel  less  kindly  toward  you.  Unless  some  one  has  gotten  ahead 
of  you,  you  will  secure  the  place,  I  am  sure  of  it,  and  no  one  will  be 
more  glad  for  you  than  just  my  very  self." 


98  A    LOYAL  LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"  Aunt  Frances,"  said  Harry,  watching  the  needles  that  were 
again  flashing  in  the  afternoon  sunlight,  "you  are  the  dearest  old 
trump  that  ever  knitted  stockings  for  a  fool  of  a  fellow  like  me." 

"  If  I  thought  this  stocking  was  really  to  grace  a  fool's  leg" — and 
Aunt  Frances  feigned  great  seriousness — "not  another  stitch  would 
I  take;  but,  begging  your  pardon,  you  would  have  been  a  fool 
indeed  if  you  had  not  told  me  about  all  this,  although  I  perfectly 
understand  that  your  motives  for  not  telling  me  were  anything  but 
foolish.  No,  Harry;  somehow  I  am  sure  it  is  only  providential  that 
you  should  have  heard  of  this  place.  Promise  to  try  for  it." 

"  I  promise,"  and  Harry's  lightened  heart  unconsciously  betrayed 
itself  in  voice  and  look.  He  had  wanted  the  situation,  oh  !  so  much, 
more  than  he  would  admit  even  to  himself,  but  he  had  decided  he 
must  forego  any  attempt  to  secure  it.  It  would  be,  he  thought,  at 
too  great  a  cost  to  Aunt  Frances's  feelings,  and  he  simply  must  not 
ask  it. 

"  Look,  Harry,"  she  said,  shading  her  eyes  with  one  hand,  "  isn't 
that  the  Boniface  boat  about  a  mile  to  the  left  of  the  point?" 

"Yes.it  is,"  Harry  answered,  merely  glancing  in  that  direction; 
"but  tell  me  one  thing  before  I  go  down  to  the  wharf:  tell  me, 
Aunt  Frances,  do  you  think  Colonel  Hamilton  an  unprincipled 
man  ?" 

"  Unprincipled  !  Why,  Harry,  do  you  suppose  for  a  single 
moment  that  I  would  urge  you  to  seek  a  situation  under  him  if  I 
thought  that  ?  No,  I  believe  that  he  honestly  felt  that  the  English 
ought  to  be  allowed  to  keep  possession  of  the  houses  that  we  had 
abandoned,  and  so  perhaps  it  was  only  natural  that  when  Captain 
Wadsworth  took  his  case  to  him,  he  should  bring  all  his  eloquence, 
which  is  very  great,  to  bear  on  that  side  of  the  question.  Never 
theless  I  confess,  as  that  eloquence  cost  me  my  home,  I  cannot  but 
feel  pretty  sore  about  it,  and  would  go  a  long  way  out  of  my  way  to 
avoid  meeting  him,  brave  officer  and  brilliant  lawyer  as  he  is." 

Harry  felt  considerably  relieved  by  this  assertion,  and  strolled 
down  to  the  boat-landing  with  even  more  admiration  for  "  darling 
old  Aunt  Frances"  than  he  had  ever  felt  before.  It  was  so  unusual, 
he  thought,  to  find  a  woman  who  could  reason  fairly,  independent 
of  her  heart. 

But  Aunt  Frances  was  not  quite  so  '  independent  of  her  heart/ 


DARLING    OLD   AUNT  FRANCES.  99 

as  Harry  put  it,  as  Harry  and  the  rest  of  the  world  thought,  and  for 
the  very  good  reason  that  her  heart  was  as  big  as  herself.  And  so 
when  Harry  had  left  her,  what  did  she  do  but  lay  aside  her  knitting, 
go  straight  up  to  her  own  little  room  in  one  of  the  gable  ends  of  the 
house,  shut  the  door  of  it,  and  then,  sitting  down  in  a  low  little 
rocking-chair,  bury  her  face  in  her  hands  and  cry.  It  had  not  been 
by  any  means  an  easy  thing  for  her  to  urge  Harry  to  seek  a  position 
under  a  man  who  had  wrought  her  so  much  harm,  but  it  had  been 
her  plain  duty,  at  whatever  cost  to  herself,  and  she  had  done  it. 
Now  when  Aunt  Frances  cried,  it  was  because  that  great  heart  of 
hers  had  had  one  little  ache  crowded  upon  another  little  ache  till  it 
could  bear  no  more,  and  then  the  hot  tears  must  (there  was  no 
choice  at  all  in  the  'matter)  be  allowed  to  flow  for  a  while  and  ease 
it.  But  for  all  this,  do  not  think  for  a  moment  that  Aunt  Frances 
was  an  unhappy  sort  of  person.  Each  little  experience  of  her  life 
and  of  the  lives  of  others  had  a  very  deep  significance  for  her, 
because  she  believed  with  all  her  heart  that  God  watches  over  every 
life  and  guides  it,  and  no  one  who  believes  that  can  ever  be  un 
happy  long  at  a  time;  life  is  to  them  too  beautiful  and  earnest.  But 
this  was  the  way  of  it  with  Aunt  Frances :  she  had  a  great  capacity 
for  loving,  if  you  understand  what  that  means,  but  she  did  not  have 
as  much  of  a  chance  to  spend  that  love  as  many  another,  who  had 
not  half  as  much  to  spend.  She  would  always  be  Miss  Frances 
Avery,  she  felt  sure  of  that ;  yet  what  a  tender,  loving  wife  she  could 
have  made  for  somebody !  She  should  never  have  any  one  nearer 
to  her  than  Harry  and  Starlight  (bless  their  hearts!)  but  oh,  what  a 
mother  she  might  have  been  with  her  great  passionate  love  for  little 
children  !  And  so  it  was  that  Aunt  Frances  trod  the  round  of  the 
life  God  had  sent  her,  because  He  had  sent  it,  contentedly  and 
happily,  and  yet  it  would  happen  now  and  then  that  some  thought 
less  word  or  deed  would  almost  unaccountably  set  one  little  spot  to 
aching,  and  something  else  would  set  another,  till  her  heart  was  all 
one  great  ache,  and  the  pent-up  tears  must  come.  Aunt  Frances 
could  always  tell  perfectly  well  when  there  was  need  to  retreat  to 
the  little  room  in  the  gable,  the  little  room  that  had  been  hers  now, 
for  the  two  years  since  she  had  fled  from  her  own  home  across  the 
river ;  and  while  she  sat  there  on  the  step  with  Harry  she  knew  well 
enough  what  she  should  do  the  moment  he  was  gone.  It  was  not 


I00  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

that  she  did  not  mean  every  word  she  said  to  him;  it  was  only  that 
somehow  that  little  talk  had  overcharged  the  brave  heart. 

Afterward,  when  the  Bonifaces'  boat  had  touched  at  the  dock 
and  all  the  Van  Vleets  were  flocking  out  of  doors  to  welcome  them, 
Aunt  Frances  was  in  their  midst,  with  the  sunshine  of  her  presence 
all  the  brighter  for  the  storm  of  troubled  feelings  that  had  just 
swept  over  it,  but  Josephine  Boniface  thought  she  saw  just 
the  faintest  trace  of  recent  tears  in  Aunt  Frances's  eyes  as  she 
stooped  to  kiss  her.  "  Dear  old  Aunt  Frances,"  she  whispered, 
as  she  put  her  arm  about  her  neck,  "  I  would  give  all  the  world 
ever  to  be  such  a  blessed  ministering  angel  as  you  are  to  everybody. 

"  Why,  Josephine,  darling,  what  foolishness,"  whispered  Aunt 
Frances;  but  it  needed  only  those  few  sweet  words  to  banish 
even  the  trace  of  tears,  and  to  make  her  thoroughly  light-hearted 
once  again. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE    VAN    VLEETS    GIVE    A    TEA-PARTY. 

HE   Van  Vleet  family  was  com 
posed  of  seven  individuals.  There 
were    Father   and  Mother  Van 
Vleet,    who    had    been    married 
while  both  were  in  their  teens, 
and  their  five  children,  Gretchen, 
Heide,  Francesca,  Pauline,  and 
Hans  Van  Vleet,  who  had  been 
born  in  the   order  named  in 
the  seven  years  immediately 
succeeding  their  parents' mar 
riage.     So,  in   point   of   fact, 
now  that   they  were   grown, 
there    was  scarcely  any    per 
ceptible    difference    between 
this  comfortable  Dutch   cou 
ple   and  their  children,   save 
that  the  children  were  taller, 
which  made  it  seem  more  of 

a  joke  that  they  should  actually  belong  to  a  father  and  mother  who 
looked  almost  as  young  themselves.  All  this  combined  to  make  them 
.a  united  and  congenial  family,  and  they  lived  in  a  comfort 
able  old  Dutch  homestead  and  were  very  well-to-do,  owing 
to  the  well-tilled  acres  that  stretched  down  to  the  river  in  front 
of  them  and  back  to  the  ridge  of  the  Jersey  Flats  behind.  But 
there  was  one  minor  chord  in  the  otherwise  cheery  harmony  of  the 
Van  Vleet  household.  Pauline,  the  youngest  sister,  now  about 
twenty-two,  was  not  "quite  bright,"  but  she  was  serene  and,  as 


102 


"A  LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


a  rule,  perfectly  happy,  which  is  a  deal  more  than  can  be  said 
of  many  people,  be  they  ever  so  bright.  There  were  two  reasons 
for  this  serenity  of  Pauline's  :  her  own  naturally  placid  temperament 
and  the  tender  care  with  which  all  the  others  watched  over  her. 
But  one  thing  must  be  confessed,  they  were  not  a  patriotic  family, 
and  the  blood  in  their  veins  coursed  somewhat  sluggishly.  They 
had  rather  hoped  that  the  colonists  would  win  in  the  war  of  the 
Revolution,  thinking,  no  doubt,  it  would  be  more  to  their  interest, 
yet  it  had  never  once  occurred  to  Hans  or  his  father  to  shoulder  a 
flintlock  in  place  of  a  hoe  and  go  and  help  them.  They  were 
a  good,  narrow,  stay-at-home  family,  with  their  thoughts  moving 
in  one  and  the  same  channel,  and  with  interests  bounded  by  their 
own  acres,  their  own  experiences,  and  those  of  their  nearest 
neighbors. 

But  there  was  one  delightful  feature  about  their  neutrality  :  they 
could  be  the  best  of  friends  alike  with  Whigs  and  Royalists,  and 
were  able  to  invite  the  Bonifaces  to  a  tea  party  just  as  cor 
dially  as  they  could  offer  the  shelter  of  their  home  to  poor  fugi 
tive  Aunt  Frances.  And  a  few  days  before  they  had  invited  them. 
Kind  old  Mrs.  Van  Vleet,  knowing  that  these  were  very  lonely 
days  at  best  for  Captain  Boniface's  family,  determined  to  do  all 
that  lay  in  her  power  to  brighten  them,  and  so  a  formal  invitation, 
written  by  Heide  in  the  stiffest  of  little  cramped  hands,  was  sent 
them.  Mrs.  Boniface  had  accepted  most  gladly.  It  meant  so  much 
to  have  this  evidence  of  true  friendship  at  a  time  when  many  old 
friends  were  looking  askance  and  turning  a  cold  shoulder. 

And  now  Saturday  afternoon  had  come,  the  first  Saturday 
in  October,  and  the  Boniface  boat  was  tacking  across  the  river  in 
the  teeth  of  a  bracing  west  wind.  They  were  all  there,  the  entire 
household,  from  Captain  Boniface,  at  the  helm,  to  Flutters,  in 
his  well-fitting  cordurovs,  seated  astride  of  the  bow.  Flutters 
loved  to  be  in  the  "front  of  things"  generally,  but  in  the  pres 
ent  instance  it  frequently  became  necessary  for  him  to  draw  his 
knees  quickly  up  to  his  chin,  being  quite  too  newly  shod  to 
run  the  risk  of  contact  with  the  salt  water  white  caps  that  now 
and  then  thumped  plumply  against  the  bow.  Harry  Avery  was 
at  the  wharf  long  before  the  little  boat  touched  it,  and  stood 


THE   VAN  VLEETS   GIVE   A    TEA-PARTY. 


103 


whittling  a  brier-wood  stick  as  he  waited,  and  dreaming  the  while 
the  happiest  dreams  about  the  future  that  might  open  up  before 
him  if  he  should  secure  that  position  with  Colonel  Hamilton. 
Somehow  or  other  Harry  felt  almost  certain  he  could  get  ahead  in 
the  world  if  it  would  only  give  him  any  sort  of  a  chance. 

u  Halloo  there,  Harry  !  a  penny  for  your  thoughts,"  called  Captain 
Boniface,  bringing  his  boat  about  and  alongside  of  the  wharf  in  true 
sailor  fashion. 

Harry  jumped  to  his  feet  and  blushed  like  a  school-girl,  as  if  he 
half  feared  the  thought  of  his  heart  could  be  read  by  them  all.  "  It 
is  fortunate  that  I  am  not  bound  to  tell  them,"  he  answered, 
catching  the  rope  which  the  Captain  had  thrown  him,  and  securing 
it  to  a  staple. 

"  No,  not  bound,  of  course,  but  thoughts  ought  to  be  of  a  pretty 
high  order  that  make  you  unmindful  of  the  coming  of  the  *  Gray 
ling'  and  the  Bonifaces." 

Harry  was  glad  to  find  the  Captain  in  this  lighter  vein,  for  life 
had  been  too  serious  and  complicated  a  matter  lately  for  him  often 
to  forget  its  seriousness.  As  for  Mrs.  Boniface,  she  had  been  both 
surprised  and  delighted  when  she  found  her  husband  willing  to 
accept  the  Van  Vleets'  invitation,  for  lately  it  had  been  quite  im 
possible  to  get  him  to  take  any  interest  in  anything  of  the  sort,  and 
she  feared  a  kind  but  absolute  refusal.  But  no  sooner  had  the 
u  Grayling"  cleared  her  dock  than  the  Captain  seemed  to  regain  his 
wonted  good  spirits,  and  to  leave  all  his  heavy-heartedness  behind, 
and  glad  indeed  was  his  little  family  to  see  him  in  a  cheery  mood 
once  more. 

As  soon  as  the  Bonifaces  commenced  to  ascend  the  beautiful 
grass-grown  meadow,  which  swept  down  to  the  water's  edge,  out 
came  all  the  Van  Vleets  to  meet  them  and  escort  them  up  to  the 
house;  and  it  was  a  remarkable  old  dwelling,  unlike  anything  one 
would  see  nowadays,  if  it  were  not  that  two  or  three  such  home 
steads  have  chanced  to  survive  the  ravages  of  a  century,  by  grace  of 
having  once  been  dignified  as  "  Washington's  Headquarters." 

It  was  a  double  two-story  house,  or  rather  three-story,  if 
you  count  the  little  rooms  in  the  gables.  It  was  built  of 
stone,  coated  with  a  rough  sort  of  plaster,  and  faced  the 
river  ;  its  large  square  stoop,  flanked  with  its  two  benches,  being 


104 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


protected  by  the  overhanging  eaves  of  the  roof  itself.  The  front 
door,  seldom  opened,  was  ornamented  with  a  huge  brass  knocker 
in  the  shape  of  a  lion's  head,  and  was  daily  burnished  with  as 
much  thoroughness  as  though  in  constant  use.  Indeed,  it  must 


THE  VAN  VLEET  HOMESTEAD. 


be  confessed  that  in  front  everything  was  severe  and  prim  and  pain 
fully  stiff,  but  fortunately  at  the  side  things  were  different.  Indeed, 
the  house,  in  its  two  entirely  different  aspects,  resembled  an  old 
army  officer,  always  stern  and  arbitrary  with  his  men  for  the  sake 


THE   VAN  VLEETS    GIVE  A    TEA-PARTY.  105 

of  discipline,  but  'another  fellow  altogether'  when  off  duty  and  in 
the  company  of  his  brother  officers.  At  the  side  it  was  as  though 
you  surprised  it  in  undress  uniform.  In  the  first  place,  there  was 
always,  in  the  season,  a  great  profusion  of  flowers ;  not,  however,  in 
conventional  flower  beds,  but  parading  their  blaze  of  color  from 
painted  tubs,  mounted  here  and  there  on  the  table-like  tops  of  old 
tree  stumps,  which  had  evidently  survived  the  first  clearing  of  the 
land.  Fortunately  for  general  effectiveness,  these  tubs  were  not 
filled  with  a  promiscuous  assortment  of  plants,  but  each  held  the 
luxurious  growth  of  some  single  variety — here  a  hydrangea,  with 
its  wealth  of  heavy-headed  blooms,  fairly  concealing  its  leaves;  there 
a  great  cluster  of  peonies  or  brilliant  scarlet  geraniums.  As  might 
be  expected  on  the  first  Saturday  of  October,  many  of  these  plants 
bore  only  a  few  tardy  blossoms,  and  some  of  them  had  evidently 
lost  all  heart  with  the  first  intimation  of  frost;  but  in  the  centre  of 
the  old-fashioned  grass  plot  was  a  contrivance  that  from  June  well 
into  November  presented  a  remarkable  blaze  of  color,  varying  with 
every  month,  and  always  beautiful.  This  contrivance,  called  by  the 
Van  Vleets  "  The  flower  fountain,"  was  composed  of  a  series  of  five 
circular  shelves,  each  shelf  a  little  smaller  in  circumference  than  the 
one  below  it,  and  terminating,  at  the  height  of  about  five  feet  from 
the  ground,  in  a  round  flat  top.  These  shelves  were  constantly 
crowded  with  pots  of  plants  in  full  bloom.  Indeed,  Hans  kept  a 
sort  of  nursery  for  no  other  reason  than  to  supply  the  fountain,  and 
the  moment  a  plant  took  it  into  its  head  to  bloom  no  longer,  or  only 
in  a  spiritless  way,  back  it  was  marched  to  the  nursery,  and  another 
took  its  place.  What  a  fine  thing  it  would  be  if  some  of  the 
little  folk  too,  who  are  not  blooming  out  into  just  the  sort  of  grown 
folk  we  could  wish,  might  simply  be  remanded  to  the  nursury,  there 
to  be  restarted,  after  the  manner  of  Hans's  plants,  and  perhaps  coaxed 
into  a  more  satisfying  growth  than  they  now,  alas!  give  promise  of! 
But  if  it  had  not  been  for  this  flower  fountain,  who  knows  but  Hans 
might  have  gone  to  the  war?  You  can  see  how  it  would  not  be  an 
easy  thing  for  a  placid,  kind-hearted  Dutchman,  who  loved  the 
training  and  slipping  and  potting  of  plants  above  everything  else  in 
the  world,  to  turn  his  pruning-knife  into  a  sword. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  tea-party  this  fountain  was  ablaze  with 
chrysanthemums,  varying  in  color  from  the  darkest  red  to  the  palest 


106  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

pink,  and  from  orange  to  pure  white.  The  plants  of  one  shelf  hid 
the  pots  of  the  shelf  above  it,  and  the  lowest  shelf  of  all  was  sunk 
so  low  in  the  ground  as  to  be  concealed  by  the  grass.  But  what 
gave  this  side  of  the  house  the  "  homiest"  look  of  all  was  the  row  of 
shining  milk  tins  ranged  in  a  row  on  a  low  bench,  and  tilted  against 
the  wall.  Then,  just  beyond  them,  the  kitchen  door  opened,  and 
such  a  kitchen  !  with  tables  and  dresser  and  every  wooden  thing  in 
it  scoured  to  immaculate  whiteness,  and  with  white  sand  daily  sifted 
upon  the  floor  in  most  remarkable  patterns.  In  this  kitchen  the 
Van  Vleets  not  only  ate,  but  lived,  and  so  it  possessed  that  undefina- 
ble  charm  which  sometimes  belongs  to  the  living-room  of  a  family, 
and  never  to  any  other.  In  preparation  for  the  Bonifaces'  coming, 
large,  high-backed  Dutch  rockers  had  been  ranged  round  this 
kitchen  door,  and  here  the  little  party  seated  themselves  under  the 
uncertain  shade  of  a  half-leafless  oak-tree,  that  allowed  the  warm 
sunshine  to  slant  gratefully  down  upon  them,  and  where  they  could 
enjoy  the  flower  fountain  to  the  full.  The  Misses  Van  Vleet  were 
busy  within  doors  attending  to  the  preparations  for  supper — that  is, 
with  the  exception  of  Pauline,  who  was  always  at  liberty  to  do 
pretty  much  as  she  chose  ;  and  what  she  had  chosen  to  do  this 
afternoon  was  this:  After  the  Bonifaces  had  come  up  from  their 
boat  she  had  noticed  somebody  still  moving  about  in  it,  so  down 
she  went  to  investigate.  Then,  when  she  reached  a  point  near 
enough  to  be  quite  satisfactory  to  her  ladyship,  she  sat  herself  down 
on  the  low,  straight  limb  of  a  stunted  apple-tree,  and  waited. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


AN      INTERRUPTION. 


HE  somebody  moving  about  in 
the  "Grayling"  was  Flutters. 
He  was  arranging  boat  cush 
ions,  folding  up  wraps  and 
shawls,  and  putting  things  gen 
erally  to  rights.  Dear  little 
fellow  !  No  one  had  told  him 
he  ought  to  do  this ;  he  did 
it  quite  by  grace  of  his  own 
thoughtful  intuition,  and  he 
found  so  many  little  things 
all  the  while  to  do,  and  did 
them  all  so  gladly,  that  he 
wondered  a  trifle  proudly  how 
the  Bonifaces  had  ever  man 
aged  without  him,  and  the 
Bonifaces  wondered  too. 

Finally,  when  Flutters  had 
gotten  everything  into  literally 
ship-shape  condition,  and  quite 
to  his  mind,  off  he  started  up 
the  bank,  bending  far  over,  as  one  must  when  one  attempts  to  scale 
a  steep  place  rapidly.  So  it  chanced  that  he  did  not  see  Miss 
Pauline  at  all  until  she  spoke  to  him,  and  he  was  himself  directly 
under  the  scant  shadow  of  the  apple-tree. 

"  Not  so  fast,  sir,"  said   Pauline,  in  an  authoritative  way,  which 
brought  Flutters,  surprised  and  breathless,  to  a  standstill. 


io8  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"  Sit  down,"  she  added  in  a  moment,  pointing  to  a  rock  covered 
with  gray  moss,  and  confronting  the  limb  where  she  was  sitting. 

Flutters  mechanically  obeyed.  He  knew  she  must  be  one  of  the 
family,  and  as  he  had  met  many  queer  people  in  his  day,  did  not 
marvel  that  here  was  somebody,  to  all  appearances,  a  little  queerer 
than  the  rest.  She  looked  very  pretty  balanced  there  on  the  low 
limb  of  the  tree,  in  her  full-skirted  gray  gown,  and  with  the  western 
sunlight  shining  on  her  back  and  turning  her  curling  yellow  hair 
into  a  sort  of  halo  about  her  forehead.  Flutters  sat  and  stared  at 
her. 

"  Do  you  like  my  looks?"  she  asked  compla  ently. 

"Yes,"  replied  Flutters,  astonished;  "you  are  a  Miss  Van  Vleet, 
aren't  you  ?" 

"Yes,  I'm  Miss  Pauline  Van  Vleet." 

"  I  thought  so,"  Flutters  remarked,  just  by  way  of  saying  some 
thing. 

"  It  is  best  never  to  say  what  you  think,"  said  Miss  Pauline 
solemnly.  "  Folks  get  themselves  into  trouble  that  way." 

Flutters  felt  inclined  to  suggest  that  people  would  be  very 
stupid  and  uninteresting  if  they  did  not  sometimes  say  what  they 
thought,  but  wisely  concluded  it  was  better  not  to  start  an  argument 
with  this  peculiar  young  person. 

"  Are  you  a  new  Boniface  ?"  asked  Pauline,  scanning  him 
closely. 

"  No,  not  exactly,"  laughed  Flutters. 

"  I  did  not  ask  what  you  were  exactly ;  are  you  a  new  Boniface 
at  all  ?" 

What  a  queer  question,  thought  Flutters,  and  then  went  to  work 
to  answer  it  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 

"  No,  I  am  not  a  Boniface  at  all,  but  I  am  new  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  I  used  to  live  in  England." 

"  What  is  your  name  ?" 

11  Flutters." 

Miss  Pauline  seemed  very  much  amused  at  this,  saying  it  over 
to  herself  two  or  three  times.  "  Did  your  father  use  to  call  you 
Flutters  ?"  she  asked  presently,  looking  at  him  searchingly. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  the  color  rushing  into  his  brown  face,  for 
no  one  had  asked  him  that  direct  question  before. 


-:rW  stys* 

.-w?a£33 


Miss  PAULINE  BURIED  HER  FACE  IN  HER  TWO  PRETTY  HANDS,  AND  BEGAN  TO  CRY.' 


no  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

"  What  did  he  call  you  ?" 

"  He  called  me — he  called  me — but  that  is  one  of  the  things  I 
do  not  tell  to  anybody." 

"  But,  Flutters,  child,  you  will  tell  me,  just  me,"  and  Pauline 
looked  at  him  with  a  look  as  pathetic  as  though  she  were  pleading 
for  her  life. 

"But  I  can't,  Miss  Pauline,  really  I  can't;"  whereupon  Miss 
Pauline  buried  her  face  in  her  two  pretty  hands,  and  began  to  cry 
like  a  child. 

"  Why,  you're  not  crying  for  that,  surely  ?"  Flutters  asked,  never 
more  astonished  in  his  life. 

"  Yes,  just  for  that — just  for  that — and  I'll  cry  harder  and  harder 
until  you  tell." 

The  truth  was,  all  the  Van  Vleets  were  so  in  the  habit  of 
humoring  this  poor  sister  of  theirs,  and  never  crossing  her  will  if  it 
could  possibly  be  helped,  that  this  refusal  on  Flutters's  part  truly 
seemed  to  her  most  preposterous,  and  she  was  shedding  actual  tears. 
Flutters  saw  one  or  two  of  them  find  their  way  through  her  fingers, 
and,  like  other  heroes,  relented  at  the  sight ;  besides,  what  else  was 
to  be  done  ? 

"  I  will  tell  you,  I  will  tell  you,"  he  said  softly ;  "  my  real  name  is 
Arthur  Wainwright;"  and  the  mere  sound  of  it,  whispered  though  it 
was,  made  him  start.  It  was  so  long  now  since  he  had  heard 
it  on  the  lips  of  any  one  !  Indeed,  it  did  not  seem  as  though  it 
belonged  to  him  at  all. 

"  That's  a  pretty  name,"  replied  Pauline,  beginning  to  be  com 
forted  and  to  dry  her  tears;  "  now  tell  me  all  about  you." 

"  Oh,  I  can't,"  replied  Flutters,  pained  at  the  need  of  refusing ; 
"  I  must  keep  it  a  secret." 

"  You  can  keep  it  a  secret  all  the  same,"  said  Pauline  sadly,  and 
with  that  insight  into  her  own  deficiencies  which  sometimes  flashes 
across  a  distraught  mind,  "  for,  you  see,  I  cannot  remember  it  long 
enough  to  tell  it  to  anybody,  so  tell  me,  please — please  tell  me  ; 
nothing  makes  Pauline  so  happy  as  a  real  true  story." 

The  entreaty  in  her  voice  was  too  much  for  Flutters,  and  he 
dreaded  more  than  he  could  express  a  fresh  outburst  of  tears,  there 
fore  he  decided  to  run  the  risk,  and  try  if  he  could  to  make  Miss 
Pauline  happy,  especially  as  he  thought  it  highly  probable  that  what 


AN  INTERRUPTION.  in 

she  said  was  true,  and  that  she  really  would  not  remember  any 
thing  long  enough  to  repeat  it. 

"There  is  not  much  about  me,"  he  began,  "  but  I  will  tell  you 
all  there  is."  It  did  not  occur  to  his  honest  little  soul  that  any 
story  he  might  have  chosen  to  concoct  would  have  answered  just 
as  well  for  Miss  Pauline.  He  neither  added  to  nor  in  any  way 
digressed  from  the  exact  truth. 

"  My  father  was  an  Englishman,"  he  continued,  "  and  he  lived 
for  a  while  in  India,  for  he  had  some  business  there,  and  my  mother 
was  a  colored  woman." 

"  Oh,  dear  me  !"  said  Pauline,  "I  would  not  like  a  father  of  one 
sort  and  a  mother  of  another  ;  which  kind  did  you  like  best?" 

"  I  do  not  remember  my  mother  at  all,  but  my  father  said  she 
was  beautiful  and  a  good  woman,  but  not  just  what  people  call  a 
lady.  She  died  when  I  was  two  years  old,  and  then  my  father 
took  me  to  England,  and  then  after  a  while  he  married  a  real  lady, 
a  white  English  lady  like  himself,  and  they  had  some  lovely  white 
children  ;  but  the  English  mother  never  liked  me.  I  think  she 
couldn't  somehow,  Miss  Pauline" — he  seemed  to  reason  as  though 
he  were  afraid  of  blaming  anybody — "  and  I  thought  I  was  in  the 
way — in  the  way  even  of  my  father  ;  and  so  one  day  1  ran  off 
and  joined  a  circus  that  was  coming  to  America.  But  I  did 
not  care  for  the  circus  very  much,  and  so  Job  Starlight  and  Miss 
Hazel  helped  me  to  run  away  from  that,  and  now  I'm  Miss  Hazel's 
body  servant,  and  the  Bonifaces  seem  to  like  me,  and  I  never  was 
so  happy  in  all  rny  life  before." 

"  That's  a  very  nice  story,  too  nice  for  a  secret.  Why  don't  you 
tell  it  'round  ?" 

"  Oh,  because  I  don't  want  my  father  ever  to  hear  of  me,  for 
then  he  might  send  for  me,  and  I  want  to  stay  with  the  Bonifaces 
always.  You  won't  tell,  will  you,  Miss  Pauline  ?" 

"  I  would  if  I  could,"  she  answered,  with  a  spirit  of  mischief, 
"but  you  can't  tell  things  if  your  head's  like  a  sieve,  and  lets  every 
thing  through,  can  you  /  Now  is  there  nothing  more  ?" 

"  No,  there  isn't,"  Flutters  answered,  a  little  shortly,  indignant  at 
her  answer.  It  hardly  paid,  he  thought,  to  be  kind  to  a  young  lady 
who  acted  like  that.  But  fortunately  Pauline  did  not  notice  the 
curtness  of  his  reply. 


ii2  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"  Then  give  me  your  hand,  Flutters,  and  we'll  go  up  to  the 
house." 

"  No,  I  thank  you.  Boys  as  big  as  I  am  don't  need  to  be 
helped  along  by  the  hand." 

"  Flutters,"  she  said  solemnly,  "give — me — your — hand  or  I'll — 
I'll  cry  harder  than  before." 

"  Oh  dear,  dear,  dear,"  thought  Flutters,  "  is  there  no  way  out  of 
this  ?"  and  he  looked  furtively  down  the  bank  toward  the  boat,  as 
though  he  seriously  contemplated  taking  to  his  heels  and  launch 
ing  out  upon  the  river  as  the  only  adequate  means  of  escape.  But 
suddenly  Miss  Pauline  put  one  hand  to  her  ear,  and  Flutters,  look 
ing  in  the  direction  in  which  she  pointed  with  the  other,  saw  that 
some  one  up  at  the  house  was  ringing  a  bell,  and  at  the  same  time 
too  heard  its  tinkling,  which  Pauline's  keen  hearing  had  been  quick 
to  detect. 

"  Flutters,"  she  said,  gazing  down  at  him  with  the  most  satisfied 
smile  imaginable,  "that  means  supper.  Come  on  up;"  then  away 
she  flew  toward  the  house,  leaving  Flutters  to  follow  at  a  reason 
able  gait,  and  profoundly  thankful  to  be  relieved  from  the  alterna 
tive  of  either  being  led  by  the  hand  or  taking  refuge  in  ignominious 
flight. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

MORE    ABOUT     THE    TEA-PARTY. 

O  one  had  noticed  the  tete-a-tete 
which  Flutters  and  Miss  Pauline 
had  been  holding  at  a  dis 
tance,  only  when  Flutters 
came  on  the  scene  Hazel 
asked  what  had  kept  him  so 
long,  and  he  made  some  eva 
sive  reply.  He  hoped  no 
one  would  ever  know  of  the 
encounter.  In  the  first  place, 
because  he  foolishly  felt  he 
had  somehow  been  gotten 
the  best  of,  and,  in  the  second 
place,  because  Miss  Pauline 
had  heard  what  he  had  fully 
intended  no  one  of  his  new 
friends  ever  should  hear. 
As  a  member  of  the  Van  Vleet  household,  Starlight  naturally 

felt  a  share  in  the  responsibility  of  entertaining,  and,  taking  Flutters 

under  his  wing,  presented  him  to  one  and  another  of  the  family  as 

"  Flutters,  the  new  boy  over  at  the  Bonifaces'." 

"  No  such  thing,"  said   Miss  Pauline  when  in  turn   Flutters  was 

introduced  to  her ;  "  he's  not  a  new  Boniface  at  all  ;  I  know  better 

than  that,  don't  I,  dear?" 

"  Oh,  what  shall,  what  shall   I  say  ?"  groaned  Flutters  inwardly  ; 

but    Starlight   dragged    him    away   with   the    explanation   that   the 

young  lady  was  not  right  in  her  mind,  and  so  there  was  no  necessity 

of  saying  anything. 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED -CO  AT. 


It  proved  a  most  inviting  table  that  the  Van  Vleets  had  spread 
for  their  Royalist  friends.  Two  deep  apple  pies  graced  either  end 
of  it ;  a  great  platter  of  doughnuts  or  "  oly  keoks,"  as  the  Dutch  has 
it,  had  been  placed  in  the  centre,  towered  above,  on  one  side,  by  a 
long-stemmed  glass  dish  of  preserved  peaches,  and,  on  the  other  side, 


GOOD  CHEER  AT  THE  VAN  VLEETS 


by  a  similar  dish  of  preserved  pears.  Frau  Van  Vleet  presided  over 
a'large  Delft  teapot  ornamented,  as  Washington  Irving  describes  a 
similar  pot,  "with  paintings  of  fat  little  Dutch  shepherds  and  shep 
herdesses,  tending  pigs,  with  boats  sailing  in  the  air  and  houses 
built  in  the  clouds,  and  sundry  other  ingenious  Dutch  fantasies." 
As  the  kitchen  table  was  not  of  the  extension  variety,  and  so  not 


MORE  ABOUT   THE    TEA-PARTY.  115 

capable  of  accommodating  the  entire  party,  places  had  to  be  set  for 
Hans,  Harry  Avery,  and  two  of  the  Van  Vleet  sisters  at  a  separate 
table  in  one  corner. 

At  the  back  of  Frau  Van  Vleet's  customary  seat  at  the  larger 
table  was  the  great  open  fireplace,  which  was  roomy  enough  to  accom 
modate  two  people  on  each  of  the  benches  lining  either  side  of  it. 
On  a  crane,  suspended  over  the  crackling  logs,  hung  a  huge  copper 
tea-kettle,  from  which  Harry,  since  he  had  been  staying  with  the 
Van  Vleets,  had  taken  upon  himself  the  duty  of  refilling  the  Delft 
teapot  whenever  needed  during  the  progress  of  a  meal,  and  indeed 
had  completely  won  the  heart  of  the  kind  old  Frau,  as  soon  as  he 
had  come  among  them,  by  his  eagerness  to  serve  her  in  every  possi 
ble  way.  To-night  he  was  kept  busy,  for  both  Van  Vleets  and 
Bonifaces  were  famous  tea-drinkers,  only  they  managed  the  matter 
differently  in  those  days.  The  lump  of  sugar  was  placed  beside  the 
cup,  not  in  it,  and  people  nibbled  and  sipped  alternately.  The 
principal  hot  dish  of  the  tea-party  was  broiled  ham,  and,  done  to  a 
turn  and  deliciously  savory,  was  delicate  enough  to  tempt  almost 
any  appetite.  Then  there  were  two  blue  china  plates  heaped  with 
biscuits,  every  one  of  which,  from  very  lightness,  had  risen  and  risen, 
till  top  and  bottom  were  a  long  way  apart ;  but  notwithstanding 
these  generous  proportions,  the  two  blue  plates  had  been  emptied 
and  replenished  more  than  once  before  all  were  satisfied. 

Miss  Pauline's  seat  at  the  table  had  been  placed  at  quite  a  dis 
tance  from  Flutters,  but,  without  daring  often  to  look  in  her  direc 
tion,  Flutters  felt  with  considerable  nervousness  that  her  gaze  was 
riveted  almost  constantly  upon  him.  Finally,  to  his  astonishment, 
and  at  a  time  when  there  had  been  a  pause  of  several  seconds,  she 
announced  very  calmly,  "  Wainwright's  a  nice  little  boy.  I  like  his 
looks  and  he  likes  mine  ;  don't  you,  Wainwright  ?" 

Flutters  kept  his  eyes  on  his  plate,  and  in  his  embarrassment 
swallowed  two  or  three  morsels  of  ham  that  were  far  too  large  in 
far  too  rapid  succession.  "  She'll  tell  it  all,  if  they  only  give  her 
time,"  he  thought  savagely,  but  he  did  not  intend  to  make  any  reply. 

"  She  means  you,  Flutters,"  whispered  Miss  Heide,  who  sat  next 
to  him.  "  You  had  better  answer  her,  '  that  you  do  like  her  looks.' 
We  never  differ  with  her.  It  is  just  a  fancy  of  hers,  this  calling  you 
Wainwright;  but  where  could  she  ever  have  heard  the  name?" 


u6  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  R ED-CO AT. 

"  If  it  only  were  a  fancy,"  thought  Flutters,  while  Miss  Pauline 
sat,  with  her  teacup  poised  in  her  pretty  hand,  waiting  his  reply. 

"  Yes,  I  like  your  looks,"  said  Flutters  in  a  compulsory  sort  of 
way  that  made  every  one  smile,  while  the  color  surged  over  his 
brown  face. 

"  That's  right,"  she  answered  complacently,  "  and  I  wouldn't  mind 
at  all  about  your  mother  being  colored,  because  that's  how  you 
come  by  your  dark  skin,  and  your  dark  skin  is  the  beauty  of  you." 

Miss  Pauline  was  growing  rather  personal,  and  it  certainly  did 
look  as  though  she  knew  what  she  was  talking  about ;  but  fortunate 
ly  no  one  attached  any  weight  to  what  she  said,  and  as  she  seemed 
inclined  to  follow  up  a  line  of  thought  which  must  at  least  be 
annoying  to  poor  little  Flutters,  the  sister  who  sat  nearest  her  tried 
quietly  to  divert  her,  while  another  started  a  new  topic  of  general 
conversation. 

At  last  the  meal  was  over,  and  Flutters  was  glad ;  nor  was  he  the 
only  one  that  felt  relieved.  Captain  Boniface  had  finished  his  sup 
per  sometime  before  the  others,  and  for  the  last  ten  minutes  had 
been  nervously  taking  up  his  tumbler  and  setting  it  down,  and  shift 
ing  his  position  in  his  chair,  as  though  unable  longer  to  keep  his 
long  legs  penned  under  the  narrow  table.  Mrs.  Boniface  had 
noticed  "it  and  wondered  at  it,  and  felt  thankful  when  Frau  Van 
Vleet  pushed  back  her  chair  and  so  gave  the  signal  to  the  others. 

"Oh,  dear,  what  can  the  matter  be?"  screeched  a  great  green 
parrot  hanging  in  its  cage  by  the  doorway,  and  who  had  appar 
ently  been  roused  from  deep  reverie  by  the  scraping  of  the  chairs 
on  the  sanded  floor.  Mrs.  Boniface  gave  a  start  of  surprise,  for 
the  parrot  had  given  exact  expression  to  her  own  thoughts.  She 
was  watching  her  husband  closely,  and  knew  by  experience  that 
something  was  troubling  him,  and  yet  he  had  been  so  gay  that  very 
afternoon.  "  I  believe  it  was  all  assumed,"  she  thought  to  herself, 
and  the  more  she  thought,  the  more  assured  she  felt  that  she  was 
right.  Oh,  how  she  longed  to  steal  over  to  him  and  question  him  ; 
but  no,  that  would  not  do.  Frau  Van  Vleet  had  arranged  two 
chairs  side  by  side  for  a  neighborly  chat,  and  there  was  no  way  out 
of  it. 

Now  that  the  supper  was  over,  the  Misses  Van  Vleet's  domestic 
duties  were  over  too,  the  clearing  of  the  table  being  left  to* 


MORE   ABOUT    THE    TEA-PARTY. 


117 


"  Rhuna,"  an   old  crone 

of  a  negro  servant,  who 

had     been     with    them 

many    years.     Then,    as 

was     their     wont,     the 

young     ladies    resorted 

each    to    her    particular 

rush-bottomed  chair  and 

the  knitting  of  her  own 

woollen  stockings,  while 

Josephine,  with  little 
Kate  upon  her  lap,  en 
deavored  to  make  her 

exhibit  some  of  her 
pretty  accomplishments 
for  their  general  amuse 
ment.  Hazel,  Starlight, 
and  Flutters  had  accom 
panied  Hans  Van  Vleet 
and  his  father  off  to  the 
barn  for  the  milking, 
while  Captain  Boniface 
and  Harry,  in  close  con 
versation,  walked  off  to 
ward  the  river.  Harry 
had  joined  the  Captain 
at  a  signal  that  he  would 
like  to  speak  to  him, 
but  he  had  not  noticed 
his  altered  manner,  and 
under  the  impression 
that  he  was  in  the  best 
of  spirits,  was  altogether 
unprepared  for  what  he  was  about  to  hear. 

"  Harry,"   began    the   Captain    seriously,  "  I    have    received    the 
most  distressing  news  within  the  last  twenty-four  hours." 

"  You   don't    mean  it,  sir,"  with   evident   surprise  ;    "  I    thought 
matters  were  looking  brighter  for  you  every  day.     I  have  reason  to 


HARRY,'  BEGAN  THE  CAPTAIN  SERIOUSLY.' 


n8  A   LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

know  that  at  least  two  of  the  signers  of  that  insulting  note  you 
received  are  heartily  ashamed  of  their  behavior,  and  are  actually  on 
the  look-out  to  atone  for  it  in  some  fashion." 

'•  So  I  hear,  and  I  am  very  grateful ;  but  all  that  good  news  is  off 
set  by  other  news  which  has  reached  me  this  morning :  some  Ton- 
friends  of  ours  in  South  Carolina  have  just  been  brutally  murdered 
by  the  Whigs,"  and  then  the  Captain  excitedly  narrated  all  the  sad 
details  of  the  tragedy  so  far  as  he  knew  them. 

Harry  listened  attentively.  "It  is  certainly  very  dreadful,"  he 
said  at  last  sadly;  "but,"  he  added  with  characteristic  honesty,  "I 
have  heard  of  some  of  the  doings  of  those  South  Carolina  Tories, 
and  many  of  them,  though  possibly  your  friends  were  not  among 
them,  deserved  harsh  treatment,  Captain  Boniface." 

"  Harry,"  said  the  Captain  abruptly,  as  though  too  busy  with  his 
own  thoughts  to  have  heard  what  was  said,  "  tell  me  frankly,  do 
you  suppose  this  community  will  ever  again  treat  me  as  a  decent 
member  of  society  ?" 

"  Yes,  Captain  Boniface,  I  do,  and  I  have  something  with  me 
this  moment  that  points  that  way,"  and  he  handed  him  an  unsealed 
envelope.  It  was  addressed  to  the  Captain,  and  he  found  it  to  con 
tain  a  card  of  invitation,  which  read  as  follows  :  "  The  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Assembly  respectfully  informs  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  New  York  that  a  dance  will  be  given  on  Monday 
next  at  the  City  Assembly  Rooms,  to  begin  precisely  at  five  o'clock. 
Price  of  tickets,  six  shillings." 

"  So  they  ask  us  to  the  Assembly,  do  they?"  said  the  Captain, 
glancing  over  it  with  evident  surprise.  "  They  have  contrived  to 
leave  us  very  little  heart  for  dancing,"  he  added  sadly. 

"  But  you  will  go,"  urged  Harry  ;  "  that  invitation  means  even 
more  than  you  suspect.  It  means,  I  think,  that  there  is  an  organ 
ized  effort  on  foot  to  fully  reinstate  you,  and  some  other  Tories  as 
well,  whom  they  have  treated  so  uncivilly." 

"So  you  think  it  implies  all  that?"  said  the  Captain,  smiling 
incredulously  at  his  enthusiasm. 

"  Yes,  I'm  sure  it  does,  and  you  will  go  and  take  Mrs.  Boniface 
and  Miss  Josephine  ;  promise  me,  Captain." 

The  Captain  did  not  reply  at  once,  and  Harry  had  time  to  realize 
that  in  his  earnestness  he  was  rather  overstepping  bounds. 


MORE   ABOUT    THE    TEA-PARTY.  119 

"  Of  course  I  do  not  mean  to  ask  you  to  promise  me,"  he 
stammered,  coloring  up  to  the  roots  of  his  hair,  "  but  you  know 
what  I  mean.  I  am  so  anxious  you  should  meet  them  half  way." 

"And  you  think  we  really  ought  to  go?  Why,  a  Dancing 
Assembly  is  the  last  thing  in  the  world  we  care  to  have  a  hand  in. 
But  Mrs.  Boniface  will  not  stir  a  step  when  she  hears  about  this 
wholesale  murder  of  the  Bentons,  so  that  settles  it." 

"  And  you  feel  that  you  must  tell  her?" 

"  No,  of  course  there  is  no  must  about  it.  I  will  think  it  over," 
and  then  the  Captain  and  Harry  entered  into  a  thorough  discussion 
of  the  events  that  had  led  up  to  the  sad  consummation  in  South 
Carolina,  and  Harry  had  some  facts  at  his  command  by  which  he 
succeeded  in  partially  convincing  the  Captain  that,  in  many  cases, 
the  Tories  had  been  treated  very  much  as  they  deserved. 

"  Well,  Harry,  you  may  be  right,  you  may  be  right,"  sighed  the 
Captain,  "  but  that  does  not  make  the  sacrifice  of  my  old  friends  any 
easier  to  bear." 

"  Not  a  whit,  sir,  I  can  understand  that,"  and  then  they  started 
toward  the  house,  for  they  could  see  that  Mrs.  Boniface  and  Frau 
Van  Vleet  were  taking  formal  leave  of  each  other. 

Twilight  was  settling  down  upon  the  river,  and  in  those  days, 
when  it  was  the  custom  for  fashionable  dancing  parties  to  begin  at 
five  o'clock,  it  was  surely  fitting  that  the  same  hour  should  conclude 
an  unfashionable  Dutch  tea-party.  Indeed,  by  the  time  darkness 
had  fairly  mastered  the  twilight,  all  the  Van  Vleets  were  snugly  in 
bed,  and  only  one  light  could  be  seen  in  the  whole  farm-house  ;  that 
was  in  the  window  of  Aunt  Frances's  gable  room.  There  she  sat 
reading,  by  the  light  of  a  plump  little  Dutch  candle,  certain  familiar 
passages  from  seme  dearly  loved  books.  She  knew  most  of  them 
by  heart,  and  yet  to  much  pondering  of  the  noble,  uplifting  thoughts 
of  these  comforting  little  books  was  due  much  of  that  cheerful 
courage  which  was  such  a  help  to  everybody. 

Meanwhile  the  4l  Grayling"  sailed  "up  river"  and  "  cross  river," 
and  reached  her  dock.  She  had  one  more  name  on  her  list  of  cabin 
passengers,  however,  than  when  she  had  sailed  that  morning,  for 
how  could  Aunt  Frances  say  "  No"  when  Hazel  had  come  to  her 
and  begged  that  she  would  please  be  so  very  good  as  to  let  them 
have  Starlight  for  over  Sunday  ? 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


HAZEL    HAS    A    CONVICTION. 

TARLIGHT,"  said  Hazel,  seri 
ously,  next  morning,  as  they  sat 
side  by  side  on  the  porch, "  I've 
been  thinking." 

11  Yes,"  said  Starlight,  dryly ; 
"most  people  do." 

"  I've  been  thinking,  Star 
light,"  Hazel  continued,  "  that 
perhaps  I  am  not  doing  quite 
right  by  Flutters." 

"  You're  doing  mighty  kind 
by  him,  I'm  sure, and  he  thinks 
so,  too.  You've  given  him  a 
home  and  clothes  and  plenty 
to  eat,  and  all  he  has  to  do  is 
to  wait  on  your  ladyship  and 
take  charge  of  the  pony.  I 
shouldn't  call  that  work,  nor 
Flutters  doesn't,  either.  He 
says  it  is  all  just  fun,  and  if 
there's  a  finer  family  anywhere 
than  the  Bonifaces  he'd  like  to 
see  'em,  only  he  knows  he  never  shall  see  'em,  because  there  isn't 
such  a  family." 

"  Are  you  making  that  up,  Job  Starlight  ?" 

"  Well,  I  guess  not.  Flutters  says  something  of  that  sort  every 
time  we're  left  alone  together.  It  seems  as  though  his  heart  was  so 
overflowing  that  he  just  had  to  ease  it  whenever  he  got  a  chance." 


HAZEL   HAS  A    CONVICTION.  121 

"  Well,  it's  certainly  very  pleasant  to  have  him  feel  like  that." 

"Why,  he  just  worships  the  ground- 
Starlight  paused  to  shy  a  stone  at  a  guinea  hen  that  was  en 
croaching  on  one  of  the  flower  beds — "your  mother  treads  on." 

Starlight  knew  well  enough  that  he  ended  this  sentence  quite 
differently  from  what  Hazel  had  expected ;  but  Hazel  was  wise 
enough  not  to  show  her  surprise,  and  besides,  if  there  was  any  wor 
shipping  to  be  done,  she  was  about  as  glad  to  have  Flutters  worship 
the  ground  her  mother  trod  on  as  that  over  which  her  little  feet 
had  travelled. 

"  No,  but  I've  been  thinking,"  she  said,  resuming  her  own  line 
of  thought,  "  that,  for  all  we  know,  Flutters  may  be  a  regular  little 
heathen,  for  I  have  an  idea  that  the  mulattoes  are  a  very  savage 
tribe.  Did  you  ever  hear  him  say  a  word  about  religion,  or  what 
he  believed,  and  things  like  that  ?" 

Starlight  scratched  his  head,  by  way  of  helping  his  memory. 
"  Never  a  word,  come  to  think  of  it." 

"  Well,  now,  Starlight,  that  is  very  strange,  and  I  believe  I'll 
take  him  to  church  this  very  morning,  and  see  how  he  acts." 

"  Yes,  let's,"  said  Starlight,  taking  most  kindly  to  the  project. 
"  If  he's  never  been  in  one,  it  will  be  awful  fun  to  see  how  he  takes 
it." 

"  People  don't  go  to  church  to  have  awful  fun.  If  that's  what 
you're  going  for,  you  had  better  stay  home." 

Starlight  clapped  his  hand  over  his  mouth,  as  though  to  sup 
press  a  most  explosive  giggle.  "  My  gracious,  Hazel !  What  has 
come  over  you  ?" 

"  Nothing  has  come  over  me,  and  you  know  it.  I  always  love 
to  go  to  church,  and  I  love  everything  they  do  there;  and  I  think 
it's  beautiful  where  they  sing,  'Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,'  after  the 
commandments,  and  everybody  keeps  their  head  bowed." 

Starlight  did  not  answer.  It  was  evident  Hazel  was  launching 
upon  one  of  what  he-called  her  "high-minded  moods;"  and,  indeed, 
child  though  she  was,  Hazel  did  have  times  when  she  thought  very 
deeply — times  when  the  soul  that  was  in  her  seemed  to  reach  out 
after  things  eternal.  It  was  not  at  all  an  unusual  experience.  It 
does  not  always  need  even  ten  round  years  to  bring  a  child  to  a 
point  of  knowing  for  itself  that  there  is  a  longing  that  this  world,  all 


122  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

wonderful  and  beautiful  though  it  be,  does  not  fully  satisfy.  Such 
a  knowing  does  not  make  a  child  less  a  child,  or  rob  it  of  an  iota  of 
its  joyousness,  only  sometimes  lends  a  sweet  and  earnest  depth  to 
the  little  God-given  life.  But  to  matter-of-fact  Job  Starlight,  it 
must  be  confessed  that  such  a  mood  was  not  at  all  satisfactory. 
He  did  not  comprehend  it,  and  standing  in  awe  of  Hazel's  "high 
mindedness,"  always  endeavored  to  bring  her  down  to  his  own 
level  as  quickly  as  possible  by  means  of  some  diverting  subject. 
This  time  he  fortunately  spied  it  in  the  shape  of  two  prim  little 
maidens,  Prayer-Book  in  hand,  who  came  demurely  walking,  side 
by  side,  down  the  path  that  skirted  the  roadway. 

"Why,  there  come  the  Marberrys,"  he  remarked. 

"  Sure  enough,"  said  Hazel,  flying  to  the  gate.  "  Are  you  going 
to  church  ?"  she  called  over  it. 

"Yes,"  answered  the  little  Marberrys  simultaneously;  indeed, 
they  were  a  pair  of  simultaneous  children.  In  the  first  place,  they 
were  twins ;  in  the  second  place,  they  were  as  alike  in  appearance 
as  peas  in  a  pod,  and,  in  the  third  place,  one  little  brain  seemed  to 
be  the  perfect  fac-simile  of  the  other.  It  was  no  uncommon  thing 
for  them  to  utter  the  same  thought,  in  the  same  words,  at  the  same 
time ;  and  when  this  did  not  happen,  one  would  generally  echo 
what  the  other  had  said.  They  had  been  christened  Mathilde  and 
Clothilde  ;  but  Milly  and  Tilly  had  been  the  outcome  of  that,  and 
of  course  the  similarity  in  the  sound  of  the  two  names  led  to  much 
confusion,  since  the  initial  letter  was  all  that  distinguished  them. 

Hazel  had  come  to  the  wise  conclusion  "that,  so  far  as  possible, 
it  was  best  just  to  say  things  that  would  do  for  both,  because,  like 
as  not,  if  you  meant  to  say  something  to  Milly — it  not  being  so 
understood — Tilly  would  answer,  and  vice-versa"  But  these  two 
little  Marberrys  were  warm  friends  of  hers,  and  in  those  days,  when 
so  many  people  were  estranged  from  the  Bonifaces,  she  set  a  spe 
cially  high  value  upon  their  friendship.  Not  that  the  Marberrys 
were  in  any  sense  Tories ;  only,  as  Dr.  Marberry  was  rector  of  St. 
George's,  they  felt  it  their  duty,  as  a  family,  to  be  kind  to  every 
body  in  the  church.  Besides,  it  would  have  caused  the  twins  a  real 
pang  to  have  been  parted  from  Hazel,  for,  as  they  frequently  as 
serted  in  the  presence  of  less  favored  playmates,  "  Hazel  Boniface 
was  the  cutest  and  nicest  girl  they  had  ever  known." 


HAZEL   HAS  A    CONVICTION.  123 

Starlight's  announcement  of  "  Here  come  the  Marberrys"  had 
suggested  to  Hazel  the  idea  of  joining  forces  and  all  going  along 
together.  The  children  were  delighted  with  the  plan,  as  with  any 
plan  of  hers,  and  sat  down  for  a  friendly  chat  with  Starlight,  while 
Hazel  hurried  away  to  summon  Flutters.  She  found  him  feeding 
some  withered  clover  heads  to  Gladys,  as  he  sat  comfortably  on  the 
top  rail  of  the  fence,  enclosing  the  meadow  where  Gladys  was  allow 
ed  to  disport  herself  on  high  days  and  holidays.  She  waited  till  she 
got  close  up  to  him,  then  she  announced,  "  Flutters,  you  are  to  go  to 
church  with  me  this  morning." 

"  To  church !"  he  said,  surprised,  for  he  had  not  heard  her 
coming. 

"  Yes,  go  put  on  the  other  suit,  and  meet  me  at  the  gate 
quickly." 

She  did  not  say  "your  other  suit,"  feeling,  naturally,  a  certain 
sense  of  personal  ownership,  as  far  as  Flutters's  outfit  was  concerned. 

"  All  right,  Miss  Hazel,"  he  answered,  moving  off  with  the 
alacrity  of  a  well-trained  little  servant. 

"  Perhaps  you  will  not  care  to  go  with  me,  girls,"  Hazel 
remarked,  as  she  came  down  the  path,  some  five  minutes  later,  and 
looking  very  pretty  in  her  dark  red  Sunday  dress.  "  You  see  I  am 
going  to  take  Flutters." 

"  And  why  should  we  mind  that?"  chirped  Milly  Marberry  in  a 
high  musical  little  key,  and  Tilly  remarked,  "  Yes,  why  should  we 
mind  that  ?" 

"  Because  I  have  no  idea  how  he  will  behave.  When  I  told  him 
just  now  that  he  was  to  go  to  church  with  me,  he  said,  '  To  churchj' 
as  though  he  was  very  much  surprised  and  had  never  been  in  one  in 
his  life." 

"  I  suppose  he'll  sit  still,  though,  if  you  tell  him  to,"  said  Milly. 

11  Of  course  he  will  not  speak  if-  '  but  Tilly's  sisterly  echo 
was  interrupted  by  a  significant  hush  from  Hazel,  and  the  next 
second  Flutters  was  with  them.  Then  the  little  party  set  off,  the 
boys  ahead  together,  and  the  girls  behind. 

"  Where  does  Flutters  come  from,  anyway  ?"  asked  Tilly. 

"  Yes,  where  from  ?"  piped  Milly. 

"  From  England,"  Hazel  answered,  softly,  "  but  he's  a  mulatto." 

"  A  what  ?"  simultaneously. 


124  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

"  A  mulatto.     They're  a  kind  of  negro  tribe.' 

"  Goodness  gracious !" 

"  Gracious  goodness!" 

"  Are  the  mulattoes  wild  and  dangerous  ?"  asked  Milly,  tremu 
lously. 

"  Yes,  I  believe  so  ;  but  then,  of  course,  Flutters  isn't  so  now. 
Civilization  has  changed  him." 

The  Marberrys  looked  at  Hazel  with  admiration  ;  these  occa 
sional  big  words  of  hers  constituted  one  of  her  chief  charms  in  their 
eyes. 

"  But  the  truth  is,"  Hazel  continued,  "  I  do  not  know  very 
much  about  Flutters.  He  does  not  seem  to  like  to  talk  about  his 
history,  and  mother  says  I  have  no  right  to  pry  into  it." 

"  I  shouldn't  think  anybody  who  had  been  wild  and  savage 
could  speak  such  good  English,"  said  Tilly,  thoughtfully. 

"Neither  should  I,"  said  Milly. 

"  Well,  that  is  queer,"  and  Hazel  looked  puzzled.  "  I  hadn't 
thought  of  that ;  but  I'm  certain  his  grandfather,  if  not  his  father, 
must  have  been  wild  and  savage.  I'm  very  sure  the  mulattoes  used 
to  be  very  ferocious." 

"  Where  do  the  mulattoes  live  ?"  asked  the  Marberrys. 

"  I  don't  know,"  was  Hazel's  truthful  answer.  The  fact  was,  as 
you  have  discovered,  Hazel  did  not  know  what  she  was  talking 
about.  She  had  a  trick  of  mounting  an  impression,  and  then  of 
giving  rein  to  her  imagination  and  letting  it  run  away  with  her,  so 
that  the  first  thing  she  knew  she  was  telling  you  something  she 
really  quite  believed  was  fact,  but  which  was  nothing  of  the  sort. 
As  a  result  she  was  sometimes  credited  with  fibbing,  and  got  into 
many  an  unnecessary  scrape,  but,  you  may  be  sure,  Mrs.  Boniface 
was  doing  all  that  she  could  to  correct  this  unfortunate  tendency. 

Meantime  the  boys  walked  ahead,  conversing  with  no  little 
earnestness  as  to  the  comparative  merits  of  two  tiny  sloop  yachts, 
one  of  which  was  taking  shape  under  Starlight's  hand,  and  the  other 
under  Flutters's,  and  whose  same  comparative  merits  were  to  be  put 
to  the  test,  when  completed,  by  a  race  on  the  waters  of  the  Collect. 
At  this  point  in  their  walk  a  turn  of  the  road  brought  St.  George's 
into  sight 

"  Ever  been  to  church,  Flutters  ?"  Starlight  asked,  quite  casually. 


HAZEL   HAS  A    CONVICTION.  125 

"  Oh,  yes,  often." 

"  Episcopal  ?" 

"  Ye'  ep,"  was  Flutters' s  unceremonious  answer;  "but  how  large 
are  you  going  to  make  your  foresail  ?"  not  willing  to  be  diverted  from 
the  all-engrossing  subject. 

"  I  shall  give  her  all  the  sail  she  can  carry,  you  may  be  certain." 
Starlight  did  not  intend  to  furnish  this  rival  yachtsman  with  any 
exact  measurements.  And  so  they  talked  on  till  they  reached  the 
little  stone  church,  where  service  had  already  commenced.  The 
Marberrys  walked  straight  up  to  their  pew,  the  very  front  one,  but 
before  they  reached  it  each  little  face  flushed  crimson.  At  one  and 
the  same  moment  their  two  pairs  of  blue  eyes  met  their  father's,  for 
he  was  leading  the  General  Confession,  and  did  not  need  to  have 
them  upon  his  book.  Judging  from  the  crimson  on  their  faces,  the 
look  must  have  said,  "  There  is  no  excuse  for  this,  my  little  daugh 
ters  ;  I  am  ashamed  that  you  should  be  so  late." 

Hazel  and  Starlight  and  Flutters  had  the  Boniface  pew  to  them 
selves,  but  Hazel  allowed  Starlight  to  precede  them  into  it,  while 
she  detained  Flutters  in  the  vestibule  for  a  little  seasonable  advice. 
She  had  intended  to  administer  it  slowly  and  forcibly  by  the  way. 
Now  she  had  to  compress  it  all  into  one  hurried  little  moment.  In 
her  excitement  she  seized  hold  of  Flutters's  brown  wrist,  as  she  whis 
pered,  hurriedly,  "  Flutters,  this  is  a  church,  where  people  come  to 
worship.  You  will  have  to  sit  very  still  and  not  speak,  only  get 
up  and  sit  down  when  I  do,  because  part  of  the  time  it's  wrong  to 
sit  down.  So,  Flutters,  watch  me  very  closely.  I  will  find  you  the 
place  in  the  Prayer-Book,  but  you  had  better  not  say  the  things 
that  are  written  there,  even  if  you  can  read  them,  'cause  they're 
probably  things  you  do  not  understand  at  all,  and  don't  know  any 
thing  about,  so  it  would  be  best  not  to  say  you  believed  them. 
You  can  sing  the  hymns,  though ;  there  won't  be  any  harm  in  that, 
only  sing  very  softly,  for  fear  you  don't  get  the  tune  right.  Now 
that  is  all,  I  believe,"  putting  her  finger  to  her  lip  in  a  meditative 
way,  and  with  an  anxious  frown  on  her  face,  as  if  fearing  she  had 
overlooked  some  important  instruction.  "  Yes,  that  is  all ;  now  fol 
low  me  in  ;"  and  Flutters  following  her,  took  his  seat  with  a  most 
decorous  air,  and  without  staring  about  with  such  gaping  astonish 
ment,  as  might,  perhaps,  be  looked  for  in  a  boy  of  fourteen,  who  had 


126 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


never  seen  the  interior  of  a  church  before,  so  that  Hazel  at  once  felt 
much  relieved.  Her  first  duty,  of  course,  was  to  lurnish  him  with  the 
proper  page  in  the  Prayer-Book,  and  her  second  to  anticipate  all 
irregularities  in  the  order  of  service,  by  taking  the  book  from  his 


"IT'S  THE  EIGHTEENTH  SUNDAY,  I  THINK." 

hands  in  ample  time  to  supply  him  with  the  right  place  at  the  right 
moment.  Now  it  must  be  confessed  that  all  this  was  accomplished 
by  Hazel  in  rather  an  officious  and  patronizing  manner,  but,  unfor 
tunately  for  her,  there  came  a  time  when  she  herself  was  at  a  loss. 


HAZEL   HAS  A    CONVICTION.  127 

She  did  not  know  which  Sunday  it  was  after  Trinity.  Flutters  did, 
and  seeing  her  confusion  anticipated  Dr.  Marberry  by  whispering, 
"  Ifs  the  eighteenth  Sunday,  I  think'.' 

Hazel  thrust  Flutters's  Prayer-Book  back  into  his  hand,  giving 
him  one  look,  and  such  a  look  !  It  was  dreadful  to  think  that  a 
thorough-going  little  church-woman  could  ever  look  like  that,  much 
less  while  the  service  itself  was  actually  in  progress. 

Flutters  felt  "  queer."  He  saw  how  much  there  was  in  that  look 
of  Hazel's,  and  wondered  if  he  had  been  greatly  to  blame  in  the 
matter.  Starlight,  of  course,  witnessed  the  whole  proceeding,  and 
heard  Flutters's  whisper  (as  did  everyone  else  in  the  neighborhood), 
which  betrayed  his  familiarity  with  the  service,  and  Starlight  him- 
self  wondered  how  he  managed  to  be  quite  so  well  up  on  the 
subject. 

But  it  was  an  awfully  good  joke  on  Hazel.  When  they  had 
been  discussing  the  matter,  and  he  had  said,  "  It  would  be  awful  fun 
to  see  how  Flutters  would  act  in  church,  provided  he  had  never 
been  there,"  Hazel  had,  of  course,  been  quite  right  in  saying  that 
"  People  did  not  go  to  church  to  have  awful  fun  ;"  but  he  could  not 
help  thinking  that  he  had  had  a  little  fun  all  the  same,  only  at 
Hazel's  expense,  and  not  Flutters's. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


FLUTTERS  COMES  TO  THE  FRONT. 

HERE  were  five  of  them  abreast. 
The  Marberrys,  Hazel,  Starlight, 
and  Flutters,  but  no  one  was 
saying  a  word.  The  Marberrys 
had  twice  religiously  tried  to 
start  up  matters,  but  had  failed 
utterly,  and  new  they  were  anx 
iously  bothering  their  little  minds 
with  the  same  question,  so  often 
reiterated  by  the  Van  Vleet  par 
rot,  of  "  Oh,  dear,  what  can  the 
matter  be?"  Starlight  was  chuck 
ling  inwardly,  like  the  inconsid 
erate  youngster  that  he  was. 
Hazel  was  very  angry,  as  she 
imagined  with  just  cause,  and 
Flutters  was  inwardly  fluttering, 

almost  outwardly,  in  fact,  so  sorry  was  he  to  have  offended  his 
adored  little  mistress.  If  she  would  only  say  something.  It  was 
not  his  place  to  speak  first,  but  he  feared  he  would  have  to,  for 
to  his  sensitive  nature  the  silence  was  unbearable.  Fortunately, 
however,  just  at  this  point,  Hazel's  indignation  found  vent  ;  she 
came  to  a  sudden  stand-still,  and  although  naught  save  the  one  word 
*'  Flutters  /"  ^  escaped  her,  it  doubled  the  five-abreast  parallel  line 
into  a  circle  in  less  than  a  second. 

"  What  have  I  done,  Miss  Hazel  ?" 

"Done!" — then    impressively    lowering    her   voice — "you    have 


FLUTTERS   COMES    TO    THE  FRONT.  129 

lied,  Flutters"  (the  Marberrys  winced).     "  Yes,  I  know  it  is  a  dread 
ful  word,  but  there  is  no  other  word  for  it." 

"  What  did  I  lie  about  ?"  Body-servant  or  no,  Flutters  knew 
when  his  little  mistress  was  overstepping  all  legitimate  bounds. 

"  You  told  me  you  had  never  been  to  church,  and  let  me  find  all 
the  places  for  you,  when  you  knew  all  about  it  just  as  well  as  I 
did,"  and  the  little  mistress  was  so  greatly  excited,  that  she  felt  very 
much  afraid  she  should  break  right  down  and  cry,  which  would  cer 
tainly  prove  a  most  undignified  proceeding. 

"  Did  I  tell  you,  Miss  Hazel,  that  I  had  never  been  to  church  ?" 
Flutters  was  able  to  speak  calmly  and  was  astonished  at  his  own 
self-control,  but  then  he  knew  he  was  in  the  right,  and  calmness 
comes  easier  when  you  know  that.  Hazel  grew  uncomfortable  un 
der  Flutters's  direct  gaze.  She  had  hardly  expected  this  courageous 
self-defence.  Come  to  think  of  it,  had  he  actually  said  he  had 
never  been  to  church.  Could  it  be,  she  wondered,  that  her  imagina 
tion  had  led  her  off  on  another  wild  chase  in  the  wrong  direction  ? 
Yes,  it  eould,  foolish  little  Hazel,  though  you  yourself  are  not  yet 
ready  to  admit  it. 

"  Perhaps  you  did  not  tell  me  so,  Flutters,"  Hazel  answered,"  but 
you  let  me  think  it,  which  was  very  wrong  and  mean  of  you." 

"  Look  out,  Hazel,"  chimed  in  Starlight,  shaking  his  head  signifi 
cantly,  "  ten  to  one  you  never  gave  him  a  chance  to  say  a  word 
about  it.  You  have  an  awful,  rushing  way,  sometimes,  of  taking 
things  for  granted." 

So  Starlight  was  siding  against  her  too,  and  Hazel  looked 
toward  the  Marberrys  for  sympathy ;  but  they  were  so  ignorant  of 
the  facts  of  the  case,  and  always  so  kindly  disposed  toward  that 
little  waif,  Flutters,  that  both  of  them  wore  the  most  neutral  ex 
pression  possible. 

Flutters's  face  flushed  gratefully  under  Starlight's  warm  champi 
onship. 

"  No,  Miss  Hazel,"  he  said,  slowly,  "you  never  gave  me  a  chance 
to  tell  you,  and  until  you  caught  hold  of  my  wrist  in  the  vestibule, 
and  told  me  what  I  must  do  and  what  I  mustn't,  I  did  not  know 
that  you  even  thought  I  had  never  been  to  church." 

"  Didn't  you  really  ?  Well,  that's  very  queer,"  for  when  an  idea 
was  firmly  implanted  in  Hazel's  mind,  she  felt  as  though  every  one 


A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


ought,  somehow  or  other,  to  be  intuitively  aware  of  it.  However, 
she  was  going  to  try  to  be  reasonable,  and  so  she  descended  from  a 
tone  of  evident  displeasure  into  one  of  grieved  forbearance. 


THE  WALK  HOME  FROM  CHURCH. 


"  But,  Flutters,  if  what  you  say  is  true" — Flutters  straightened  up 
under  this  insinuation,  but  unbent  right  away  as  Hazel  wisely 
added,  "  and  of  course  it  is,  then  why,  when  I  found  the  first  place 


FLUTTERS   COMES    TO    THE  FRONT.  131 

in  the  Prayer-Book  for  you,  did  you  not  whisper,  'You  need  not 
bother,  Miss  Hazel,  I  know  about  the  Prayer-Book,'  or  something 
like  that,  instead  of  letting  me  go  on  and  find  place  after  place  for 
you  ?" 

For  a  moment  Flutters  seemed  at  a  loss  what  to  answer,  then 
looking  her  frankly  in  the  face,  he  said,  with  charming  simplicity,  "  I 
thought  it  would  be  more  respectful  not  to  say  anything ;  and 
better  to  let  you,  being  my  little  mistress,  do  just  as  you  pleased 
without  interfering." 

Hazel  showed  she  was  touched  by  this  confession  ;  but  Star 
light  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  add,  u  besides,  I  warrant  you, 
you  told  Flutters  not  to  speak,  when  you  collared  him  there  in  the 
vestibule." 

"  Yes,  you  did,  Miss  Hazel,"  said  Flutters,  truthfully. 

"  That  may  be,"  Hazel  admitted  with  much  dignity,  "  but,  Job 
Starlight,  I  never  collared  anybody,  if  you  please." 

"  Don't  be  touchy,  Hazel.     You  know  what  I  mean." 

All  this  while  the  children  had  stood  in  a  little  circle  right  in 
the  middle  of  the  road,  and  more  than  one  passer-by  had  looked  on 
with  an  amused  smile,  wondering  what  was  the  cause  of  so  much  ev 
ident  excitement.  The  Marberrys  had  noticed  this,  and  now  that 
matters  were  cooling  down  a  trifle,  suggested  that  they  should  walk 
on,  so  as  not  to  attract  so  much  attention.  So  they  walked  on,  but 
of  course  they  talked  on  too,  and  although  Hazel  was  fast  relenting 
toward  Flutters,  she  was  not  quite  ready  to  cease  hostilities.  One 
or  two  matters  still  required  explanation.  "  Look  here,  Flutters," 
she  said,  "if  you  thought  it  was  more  respectful  not  to  say  any 
thing,  why  didn't  you  keep  quiet ;  and  there's  another  thing  I 
should  like  to  have  you  tell  me,  and  that  is,  how  did  you  know  it 
was  the  eighteenth  ?" 

"Miss  Hazel,  when  I  saw  you  did  not  know  what  Sunday  it 
was,  I  thought  that  as  I  happened  to  know,  I  ought  to  tell 
you." 

"  Oh,  that  was  it ;  but,  Flutters,  people  don't  just  happen  to 
know  things.  They  generally  know  how  they  came  to  know 
them." 

Flutters  looked  troubled,  and  the  Marberrys  and  Starlight  felt 
very  sorry  for  him,  and  wished  Hazel  would  stop.  But  Hazel 


i32  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

wouldn't.  That's  one  of  the  troubles  with  strong  and  independent 
natures,  no  matter  whether  they  belong  to  big  or  little  people. 
They  feel  everything  so  deeply,  and  get  so  wrought  up,  that  on  they 
go  in  their  impetuosity  hurting  people's  feelings  sometimes,  and  do 
ing  lots  of  mischief.  To  be  strong  and  independent  and  to  know 
where  "  to  stop,"  that  is  fine  ;  but  Hazel  had  not  yet  learned  that 
happy  combination.  But  Hazel's  heart  was  all  right  ;  she  wanted 
above  everything  else  in  the  world  to  grow  some  day  to  be  a  truly 
noble  woman,  and  there  is  not  much  need  for  worry  when  any  little 
body  really  hopes  and  intends  to  be  that  sort  of  a  big  body.  But 
you  need  not  think  that  while  I  have  been  saying  this  little  word 
behind  Hazel's  back  (which,  by  the  way,  is  not  meant  at  all  unkind 
ly),  that  you  have  been  missing  any  conversation  on  the  part  of  our 
little  church-goers.  There  hasn't  been  any  conversation  for  ever  so 
many  seconds.  Hazel  is  waiting  for  Flutters  to  speak,  and  Flutters 
is  getting  ready.  At  last  he  attacks  the  subject  in  hand,  in  short, 
quick  little  sentences,  as  if  it  was  not  easy  to  say  what  must  be  said. 

"  Miss  Hazel,  when  I  was  at  home  I  used  often  to  go  to  church. 
I  had  a  little  Prayer-Book  of  my  own.  Somebody  gave  it  to  me ; 
somebody  that  I  loved.  When  I  was  in  the  circus  I  kept  my 
Prayer-Book  with  me.  Every  Sunday  I  read  it,  from  love  of  the 
somebody.  Once  in  a  great  while  when  we  would  put  up  near  a 
church  I  used  to  get  leave  to  go  to  it  I  went  the  very  Sunday  be 
fore  I  left  the  circus.  I  went  to  that  very  church  where  we  have 
been  to-day.  I  sat  in  the  back  seat,  and  I  heard  their  father 
preach  (indicating  Milly  and  Tilly).  It  was  a  lovely  sermon  'bout 
bearing  things.  That  was  five  weeks  ago,  and  that  was  the  thir 
teenth  Sunday  after  Trinity,  so  I  calculated  up  to  to-day,  and,  Miss 
Hazel,  when  I  ran  away  from  the  circus  and  dared  not  go  back 
there  were  only  two  things  I  minded  about — the  Prayer-Book  and 
old  Bobbin.  To  run  away  from  a  dear  little  book  that  you 
loved,  that's  been  a  real  comfort  to  you,  when  you  hadn't  scarce 
anybody  to  turn  to — why,  it  seems  just  like  running  away  from  a 
dear  old  friend." 

So  that  was  the  explanation  of  it  all.  Even  Starlight  felt 
touched  by  Flutters's  narration,  while  actual  tears  stood  in  the  little 
Marberrys'  eyes.  Hazel  felt  humiliated,  an  uncommon,  but  most 
beneficial  sensation  for  that  hot-headed  little  woman. 


FLUTTERS   COMES    TO    THE  FRONT.  133 

"Who  gave  you  that  Prayer-Book,  Flutters?"  asked  the  Mar- 
berrys — being  blessed  with  less  tact  than  sympathy. 

"  flutters  would  have  told  us  if  he  had  wished  us  to  know,"  said 
Hazel.  And  that  considerate  remark  completely  re-established  the 
old  friendly  relations  between  Flutters  and  herself,  and  then  for  a 
while  the  five  children  trudged  along  in  silence.  Four  out  of  the  five 
were  probably  pondering  over  all  that  Flutters  had  told  them,  and 
wishing  that  they  knew  more  about  him.  Flutters,  feeling  greatly 
relieved,  was  turning  over  in  his  mind  a  perplexing  question  sug 
gested  by  something  the  Rector  had  said  in  his  sermon  that 
morning,  for  he  was  a  thoughtful  little  fellow,  and  when  a  matter 
bothered  him  was  not  content  to  dismiss  it  without  settling  it  to  his 
own  satisfaction. 

"  Do  folks  believe?"  he  said,  after  the  manner  of  one  who  has 
slowly  thought  himself  up  to  the  point  of  putting  a  question,  "  do 
folks  believe  that  God  makes  everything  happen  ?" 

"  Of  course  they  do,"  said  Milly  Marberry.  Tilly  pressed  her 
lips  firmly  together  and  nodded  "yes,"  in  a  way  that  meant  there 
was  no  doubt  whatever  on  the  subject. 

"Well,  suppose  a  poor  woman  had  just  one  little  boy,  and  the 
little  boy  took  the  scarlet  fever  and  died,  did  God  make  that 
happen  ?" 

"  Yes,  He  did,"  replied  Milly  and  Tilly  together,  feeling,  perhaps, 
that,  as  daughters  of  the  Rector,  the  answering  of  such  a  question 
belonged  to  them.  Starlight  and  Hazel  willingly  kept  silent.  They 
thought  Flutters  was  leading  up  to  something,  and  preferred  not  to 
commit  themselves. 

"  Well,  then,"  said  Flutters,  but  not  irreverently,  "  I'd  like  to 
know  what  He  did  it  for." 

Milly  and  Tilly  showed  their  surprise  at  this  question,  but  did 
not  at  once  reply,  trying,  perhaps,  to  decide  what  answer  their  good 
father  would  make  under  similar  circumstances. 

"  Perhaps  God  saw  the  little  boy  would  not  grow  up  to  be  a 
good  man,"  Milly  ventured,  feeling  sure  she  had  heard  something 
like  that  said. 

"Perhaps,"  said  Tilly,  for  occasionally  the  twins  did  launch  out 
on  independent  lines  of  thought,  "  perhaps  she  loved  the  little  boy 
too  much,  and  so  God  took  him  to  make  her  trust  more  just  in  Him." 


i34  A    LOYAL    LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

Flutters  waited  a  moment,  as  though  to  consider  matters;  then 
he  said,  seriously,  "  No,  I  do  not  believe  what  you  say  at  all.  I 
believe  the  little  boy  caught  the  scarlet  fever  from  somebody,  and 
just  died  because  he  wasn't  strong  enough  to  get  over  it." 

"  I  don't  believe  it's  right  to  think  like  that,"  Hazel  volunteered, 
for  the  Marberrys  looked  very  much  shocked,  "  it's  not  believing  in 
God  at  all." 

Now  Flutters  had  not  set  out  upon  this  discussion  without  first 
having  thought  it  out  pretty  clearly  for  himself,  and  so  he  was  ready 
to  answer — 

"  You  are  mistaken,  I  think,  Miss  Hazel,"  with  the  same  little  air 
of  respect  he  always  assumed  in  speaking  to  her,  "  because  I  believe 
in  God  just  as  much  as  any  boy  could,  and  yet  I  think  that.  I 
think  God  lets  things  happen  instead  of  making  them.  He  lets 
sickness  and  trouble  come  into  the  world,  and  so  the  sickness  and 
trouble  find  the  people  out,  and  sickness  kills  them  if  their  bodies 
are  weak,  and  trouble  kills  them  if  their  hearts  and  heads  are, 
and- 

"  But,  Flutters,"  interrupted  Starlight,  "  don't  you  believe  God 
watches  over  people  and  cares  for  'em  ?" 

fct  Why  of  course  I  do,  Starlight.  If  I  hadn't  thought  that  I  don't 
know  what  I  would  have  done  sometimes;  but  this  is  what  I  think 
—I  think  Fie  watches  over  us  by  helping  us  to  bear  things,  and  to 
get  the  best  out  of  'em,  and  although  I'm  not  very  old,  I'm  old 
enough  to  know  that  sometimes  there  is  more  good  in  a  trouble 
some  thing  than  in  a  thing  that  isn't  troublesome  at  all.  The 
people  who  are  the  kindest  arc  often  the  people  who  have  had  the 
most  trouble." 

"  Well,"  said  Tilly  Marberry,  with  considerable  censure  in  her 
tone,  "  I  never  heard  a  little  boy  talk  like  this." 

"Neither  did  I,"  sighed  Milly,  "and  I  should  say  such  things 
ought  to  be  left  to  grown-up  people." 

"Well,  then,"  Flutters  replied,  "thinking  'bout  things  ought 
to  be  left  to  grown-up  people,  too,  but  it  isn't.  I  may  think 
different  when  I'm  grown  up,  but  I  don't  believe  I'll  ever  think 
harder  than  I  do  now,  and  I  can't  help  it  either." 

Meanwhile  Hazel  had  been  ransacking  her  brain  for  a  half- 
remembered  text,  and  now  she  had  it.  "  What  do  you  make  out  of 


FLUTTERS   COMES    TO    THE   FRONT.  135 

that  verse  about  the  Lord  chastening  whom  He  loves?"  she 
asked. 

For  the  moment  Flutters  looked  puzzled.  The  Marberrys 
signalled  each  other  by  elevating  their  eyebrows  as  to  the  meaning 
of  this  last  big  word  of  Hazel's,  and  asked,  simultaneously,  "  What's 
chastening?"  Then  for  the  moment  Hazel  looked  puzzled,  but 
Starlight  came  to  her  rescue. 

11  I  think  it's  taking  away  from  a  fellow  lots  of  people  whom  he 
loves.  Having  his  mother  die,  and  then  his  father,  and  then  his 
little  sister,  and  things  like  that." 

This  remark  of  Starlight's  flashed  the  light  again  in  upon  Flut- 
ters's  mind,  and  he  found  to  his  glad  surprise  that  he  was  thor 
oughly  prepared  to  answer  Hazel  after  all;  but  he  began  by  asking 
Starlight  a  question. 

"  But  why,  Starlight,  does  the  Lord  do  that,  do  you  think?" 

"  Why — so  as  to  make  a  fellow  resigned.  I  think  that's  what 
they  call  it.  To  make  him  just  give  up  his  own  will." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Flutters,  with  the  air  of  one  whose  con 
victions  are  very  strong,  "  but  I  don't  believe  that  either.  I  don't 
believe  the  Lord  would  take  my  father  and  mother  and  sister 
out  of  the  world  just  because  He  loved  me  and  wanted  to  make  me 
better.  I  don't  believe  I'm  important  enough  for  that,  nor  anybody 
else.  If  they  all  died  close  together  I  should  think  it  was  because 
God's  time  had  come  for  them,  quite  outside  of  me,  and  that  then 
the  thing  for  me  to  do,  the  thing  that  He  meant,  was  just  to  bear  it 
as  bravely  as  I  could." 

This  was  a  long  speech  for  Flutters,  but  the  children  were 
sufficiently  interested  to  follow  every  word  of  it,  and  Hazel  asked, 
when  Flutters  ceased,  "  But  then  what  docs  the  chastening  verse 
mean  ?  It's  in  the  Bible,  and  I  suppose  you  believe  the  Bible  ?" 

"  Of  course  I  believe  it,  but  I  know  chastening  doesn't  mean 
anything  like  that.  Perhaps  it  means  letting  all  sorts  of  bother 
some  things  come  so  as  to  have  you  get  the  best  of  them.  A 
person  what  had  never  had  any  bother  wouldn't  be  much  of  a 
person,  I  suppose." 

"  Well,  we  have  had  a  talk,"  said  Starlight,  for  at  this  point  the 
discussion  seemed  to  come  to  a  natural  close  ;  and  besides,  they  had 
almost  reached  the  Boniface  gate.  A  moment  later  the  Marberrys 


136 


A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 


took  an  affectionate  leave  of  Hazel,  with  a  "  Good-bye"  to  Starlight 
and  Flutters,  and  trudged  on  to  the  rectory,  half  a  mile  farther  up 
the  road,  wondering,  perhaps,  if  what  Flutters  had  said  had  been 
wrong,  and  provided  they  could  remember  it,  if  they  ought  not  to 
tell  their  father. 

"  Heigh-ho  !"  sighed  Hazel,  carefully  putting  away  her  Sunday 
cloak  and  hat,  "  and  to  think  that  I  thought  the  mulattoes  were  a 
savage  tribe !  Why,  really,  I  believe  I  never  knew  a  boy  who 
seemed  to  think  so  right  down  into  a  thing  as  Flutters." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

COLONEL  HAMILTON  "  TAKES  TO"  HARRY. 


the   night    before,  hut    almost 


RIGHT  and  early  on  the 
Monday  succeeding  the 
Van  Vleet  tea-party, 
Harry  Starlight  set  out 
for  his  call  upon  Colonel 
Hamilton.  It  proved  to 
be  a  clear,  bracing  morn 
ing,  the  kind  of  a  morn 
ing  to  inspire  hope  in 
hearts  five  times  as  old  as 
Harry's,  only  fortunate 
ly  there  are  some  hearts 
that  never  grow  old  at 
all,  and  to  whom  hope  is 
just  as  true  and  beautiful1 
at  sixty  as  sixteen.  The 
moment  he  closed  the 
door  of  the  kitchen  be 
hind  him,  he  drew  one 
great,  deep  breath,  as 
though  longing  to  take 
in,  in  a  permanent  way 
if  possible,  all  the  exhil 
aration  of  the  invigorat 
ing  air,  all  the  marvellous 
beauty  of  the  wondeiful 
out-of-door  world.  There 
had  been  a  heavy  frost 
the  first  flash  of  sunrise  had  trans- 


I33  A    LOYAL    LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

formed  it  into  an  army  of  glistening  drops,  save  where  here  and 
there,  under  the  protecting  chill  of  sombre  shadows,  the  grass-blades 
still  were  cased  in  sheaths  of  crystal.  The  river  was  gray  and  white- 
capped,  for  the  west  wind  would  not  leave  it  still  enough  to  reflect 
the  cloudless  blue  overhead,  and  the  "  Gretchen"  tugged  at  her 
chain  with  various  little  creaks  and  groans,  as  though  an  anchor 
and  a  furled  sail  were  more  than  sail-boat  nature  could  endure  when 
such  a  breeze  was  blowing.  Indeed,  as  Harry  freed  her  from  her 
moorings,  she  fairly  seemed  to  bound  out  into  the  river  with  the 
keen  enjoyment  of  a  creature  alive  in  every  part.  It  is  hard  to 
picture  that  East  River  as  it  looked  a  hundred  years  ago,  with 
wooded  and  grass-grown  banks  in  place  of  wharves  and  warehouses, 
and  with  only  an  occasional  sail,  where  to-day  the  great,  unwieldy 
ferry-boats  plow  from  shore  to  shore,  and  an  army  of  smaller  craft 
steam  noisily  hither  and  thither.  Now  and  then  Harry  would  pass 
a  market-boat  loaded  to  the  water's  edge  with  a  tempting  array  of 
vegetables,  and  rowed  by  a  marketwoman  in  her  close-fitting  Dutch 
cap,  who  would  either  wish  him  a  cheery  good-morning  in  matronly 
fashion,  or  bend  lower  over  her  oars,  as  became  a  young  maiden. 
Half  reluctantly  did  Harry  hear  the  "  Gretchen V  keel  scrape  the 
pebbly  shore,  and  exchange  the  breezy  breadth  of  the  river  for  the 
city  street,  notwithstanding  that  street  led  straight  up  to  Colo 
nel  Hamilton's  office.  Then,  somehow  or  other,  he  did  not  feel 
quite  so  buoyant  as  at  the  start,  for  hope  has  a  trick  of  wavering  a 
little,  as  she  actually  nears  the  verge  of  any  decision.  What  if  some 
one  had  already  secured  the  place  ?  What  if  the  Colonel  should 
not  take  to  him  ?  for  Harry  had  great  faith  in  and  great  respect  for 
what  may  be  called  "  taking  to  people." 

It  so  happened  that  he  found  only  a  boy  in  the  Colonel's  office, 
a  very  dark  little  specimen  of  the  negro  race,  who  was  brushing  and 
dusting  away  in  a  manner  that  said  very  plainly,  "  I's  behin'  time  dis 
mornin',"  which,  by  the  way,  was  the  rule  and  not  the  exception  in 
the  life  of  lazy  little  John  Thomas. 

"What  time  does  Colonel  Hamilton  usually  come  in?"  asked 
Harry,  when  he  saw  that  the  boy  was  by  far  too  busy  to  pay  any 
attention  to  him. 

"'Long  any  minit;  dat's  how  I's  so  flustered,"  he  replied,  breath 
lessly,  and" with  that  sort  of  haste  which  invariably  makes  waste,  he 


COLONEL   HAMILTON   "TAKES    TO"    HARRY.  139 

succeeded  in  upsetting  all  the  contents  of  a  generous  scrap-basket 
exactly  in  the  middle  of  the  office  floor.  "Glory  me  !"  was  his  one 
inelegant  exclamation,  and,  dropping  on  to  his  knees,  he  began 
punching  the  accumulation  of  trash  back  into  the  basket,  but  with 
an  energy  that  landed  half  of  it  upon  the  floor  again. 

14  Look  here,  I'll  tend  to  that,"  laughed  Harry.  "  You  see  to  your 
other  work."  John  Thomas  looked  up  surprised,  but  seeing  the  offer 
was  made  in  good  faith,  took  Harry  at  his  word,  and  flew  to  the 
office  washstand,  which  was  sadly  in  need  of  attention. 

Just  at  this  point  there  was  a  step  in  the  hall,  and  glancing  up 
from  his  homely,  self-appointed  task,  Harry's  eyes  met  those  of 
Colonel  Hamilton,  while  the  color  flushed  over  his  face. 

"  Well,  my  young  friend,"  said  the  Colonel,  evidently  much 
amused,  ''who  set  you  at  that  work?" 

"  I  was  waiting  for  you,  sir,"  said  Harry,  putting  the  basket  at  one 
side, "  and  as  your  boy  seemed  to  have  been  delayed,  I  was  trying  to 
lend  a  hand." 

"  Very  kind  of  you,  sir  ;  and  as  John  has  a  way  of  being  delayed 
every  morning,  he  would  no  doubt  like  to  make  a  permanent  en 
gagement  with  you." 

"  I  had  rather  you  would  do  that,  sir,"  was  on  Harry's  lips,  but  he 
feared  it  might  sound  familiar  ;  but  Colonel  Hamilton  seemed  to 
read  his  thoughts. 

"  Possibly  you  came  to  see  about  making  an  engagement  with 
me,"  he  said,  kindly,  looking  for  the  moment  most  intently  at  Harry 
in  a  way  that  showed  he  was  mentally  taking  his  measure.  Mean 
while  he  had  hung  up  his  coat  and  hat,  and  dropped  into  a  high- 
backed,  uncomfortable  and  unpainted  wooden  chair,  very  different 
from  the  upholstered,  revolving  contrivances  that  we  find  in  offices 
nowadays. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Harry,  in  answer  to  the  Colonel's  question,  and 
still  standing;  "I  heard  that  you  wanted  a  clerk,  and  I  should  be 
very  grateful  if  you  would  let  me  see  if  I  could  fill  the  place." 

"  What  is  your  name?" 

"  Harry  Starlight  A  very,  if  you  wish  it  in  full,  sir." 

"Will  you  be  seated,  Mr.  Avery  ?"  said  the  Colonel,  with  his 
habitual  kindly  courtesy,  whereupon  John  Thomas  flourished  a  be 
draggled  feather  brush  over  a  dusty  chair — the  same  one  upon  which 


140  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

Hazel  had  sat  during  her  recent  important  interview — and  placed  it 
near  the  Colonel's,  with  all  the  importance  of  a  drum-major  on 
parade. 

"  I  have  heard  the  name  of  Starlight  before,"  Colonel  Hamilton 
said  thoughtfully,  "  but  where  I  cannot  remember."  Then,  and  as 
though  he  had  no  time  to  devote  to  mere  rumination  at  that  hour 
of  the  morning,  he  asked,  "  Are  you  a  native  of  New  York,  Mr. 
Avery  ?" 

"  No,  sir  ;  my  home  is  in  New  London." 

"  Then  you  are  a  long  ways  from  it  now"  (for  distances  were  dis 
tances  in  those  days)  ;  "  how  does  that  happen  ?" 

"  I  enlisted  on  a  privateer,"  Harry  answered,  coloring  slightly. 

"  So  that  is  how,"  and  the  Colonel  gave  him  the  benefit  oi 
another  scrutinizing  look. 

"  Have  you  ever  had  a  position  in  a  lawyer's  office  ?" 

"  No,  sir;  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  haven't;  but  it's  just  the  sort  of 
position  I  have  always  wanted.  Of  course  you  would  have  to  tell 
me  just  about  everything  at  the  start,  but  not  more  than  once,  I 
hope,  sir." 

This  is  the  right  sort  of  spirit,  thought  the  Colonel,  beginning  to 
run  through  some  papers  on  a  letter-file,  for,  as  usual,  he  had  a  very 
busy  day  before  him. 

"  How  long  ago  did  you  enlist  on  the  privateer?"  making  a  little 
memorandum  of  some  other  matters  on  a  sheet  of  paper  as  he 
spoke. 

"  Nearly  two  years  ago." 

"  How  long  were  you  aboard  of  her?" 

"  Only  a  month,  sir." 

"  And  where  were  you  the  remainder  of  the  time  ?" 

"On  the  'Jersey/  sir." 

There  was  no  dividing  of  attention  now,  and  the  Colonel  laid 
aside  the  quill  pen  he  had  just  filled  with  ink. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  were  a  prisoner  aboard  of  her  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  For  nearly  two  years  ?" 

"Yes,  sir."' 

"  That  is  enough  for  me.  Any  poor  fellow  that  has  braved  the 
horrors  of  that  den  for  even  a  month  ought  to  have  the  best  sort  of 


COLONEL   HAMILTON  "TAKES    TO"    HARRY.  141 

a  chance.  I  will  engage  you  on  the  spot,  Mr.  Avery.  If  you  have 
been  a  i  Jersey'  prisoner,  that  is  enough  for  me.  I  am  willing  to  try 
a  'green  hand/  who  has  had  to  endure  that  experience." 

"You  are  very  kind,  Colonel  Hamilton,"  and  Harry's  grateful 
appreciation  showed  plainly  in  his  face. 

"  Could  you  stay  to-day,"  asked  the  Colonel/1  and  let  me  set  you 
right  to  work  at  some  copying?  I  think  we  can  come  to  a  satisfac 
tory  arrangement  about  terms  when  I  am  not  so  hurried." 

Of  course  Harry  stayed — stayed  through  one  of  the  busiest  and 
happiest  days  of  his  life;  and  not  until  twilight  had  long  settled 
down  on  the  river  did  he  step  aboard  of  the  "  Gretchen"  and  set  sail 
for  the  old  Van  Vleet  Farm. 

When  the  wind  is  right  in  your  favor,  and  you  have  little  to  do 
but  mind  your  helm,  you  have  a  fine  chance  for  a  quiet  think — that 
is,  if  you  are  any  sort  of  a  sailor;  and  Harry  improved  the  oppor 
tunity  and  thought  hard — thought  of  all  that  the  day's  good  fortune 
might  mean  to  him  :  of  ability  to  pay  his  own  way  for  the  first  time 
in  his  life  ;  of  a  little  money  to  be  sent  off  now  and  then  to  the 
younger  brothers  in  New  London,  and  then,  in  a  vague  sort  of  a 
way,  of  a  home  of  his  own  some  day.  Meantime  all  the  while  there 
would  be  the  constant  daily  companionship  with  Colonel  Hamilton 
himself,  who  seemed  to  him  (as  indeed  to  many  another,  and  in  the 
face,  too,  of  his  extreme  youthfulness)  at  once  the  noblest,  the 
kindest,  and  by  far  the  greatest  man  he  had  ever  met.  What  a  pity, 
he  thought,  that  he  should  have  sided  against  Aunt  Frances! 

But  of  one  thing  Harry  felt  sure,  which  was  that  he  had 
certainly  " taken  to"  Colonel  Alexander  Hamilton;  and  there  was 
another  thing  just  as  sure  which  he  did  not  know  about,  and  that 
was  that  the  Colonel  had  decidedly  "taken  to"  Harry. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


IN    THE    LITTLE    GOLD    GALLERY. 


HE  night  for  the  first 
Dancing  Assembly  had 
come,  and  old  I3eter, 
John  Thomas's  father 
and  the  janitor  of  the 
Assembly  room,  had 
done  more  work  in  the 
last  week  than  in  all  the 
whole  five  months  be 
tween  the  two  seasons 
of  social  gayety.  In  an 
hour  now  it  would  be 
time  for  the  guests  to 
arrive,  and,  arrayed  in 
his  best  coat  and  knee- 
breeches,  and  with  noth 
ing  further  to  do,  Peter 
sat  on  a  three-legged 
stool  at  one  end  of  the 
hall,  surveying  his  work 
with  evident  satisfac 
tion. 

Presently  there  was 
the  sound  of  several 
pairs  of  feet  on  the  flight  of  stairs  that  led  up  to  the  Assembly 
rooms,  and  Peter,  craning  his  neck,  tried  to  make  out  who  it  might 
be  without  taking  the  trouble  to  get  up,  for  his  old  knees  were  very 
stiff  from  the  unwonted  exertions  of  the  week. 


IN    THE   LITTLE    GOLD    GALLERY.  143 

Who  it  might  be  was  quickly  determined,  for  in  a  flash  there 
stood  before  him  what  seemed  to  him  a  veritable  crowd  of  chil 
dren,  though  in  point  of  fact  there  were  only  the  two  Marberrys, 
Hazel,  Starlight,  and  Flutters. 

"What  you  chilluns  doin'  heah  ?  Dis  heah  ain't  no  place  fur 
chilluns.  You  better  go  right  'long  home  agin,  I  reckon." 

Peter  tried  to  speak  gruffly,  but  they  were  not  in  the  least  in 
timidated,  knowing  that  it  was  all  assumed. 

"  Peter,  we  have  a  great  favor  to  ask  of  you,'''  said  Hazel,  who 
seemed  to  be  the  ringleader  of  the  little  party. 

"Tain't  no  sort  o'  use,  Miss  Hazel ;  can't  'low  it  no  how;"  for 
Peter  knew  well  enough  what  the  favor  waS;  "  if  I  let  you  chilluns 
into  dat  gall'ry,  you'll  keep  up  such  a  snickerin'  and  gigglin',  you'll 
'sturb  the  whole  Assembly.  No,  Miss  Hazel;  can't  t'ink  of  it; 
can't  'low  it  no  how." 

"  Peter,"  said  Hazel,  looking  at  him  very  searchingly,  "  are  you 
going  to  let  anybody  in  there?" 

"  Not  a  soul,  Miss  Hazel — dat  is,  not  a  soul  'ceptin'  my  John 
Thomas." 

"Ah!  I  thought  so,"  said  Hazel,  exultingly;  "and  it  isn't  fair, 
Peter,  to  do  for  Thomas  what  you  won't  do  for  us.  We've  come 
all  the  way  into  town  just  to  see  the  dancing,  'cause  mother  said 
she  was  sure  there  wouldn't  be  any  objection  to  our  peeping 
through  the  gallery  railing." 

"  Did  she  say  dat,  sure  'nuff,  Miss  Hazel  ?"  And  Peter  put  his 
head  on  one  side,  and  looked  at  Hazel  in  a  very  suspicious  man 
ner. 

"  Yes,  she  did,"  said  Tilly  Marberry,  coming  to  the  rescue  ;  "  I 
heard  her  myself ;  and,  Peter,  we'll  promise  not  to  snicker." 

"  Nor  giggle,  either,"  said  Tilly's  other  self. 

"  Which  of  you  is  which  ?"  said  Peter,  slowly  looking  at  the 
twins  with  knitted  eyebrows. 

"  Oh,  Peter,  please  don't  stop  to  bother  'bout  that  now,"  pleaded 
Hazel,  impatient  of  any  digression  from  the  main  point;  "but  you 
will\zt  us  in,  won't  you?"  whereupon  the  other  children  chimed  in 
with  such  imploring  entreaties  that  the  old  janitor  relented,  and, 
getting  on  to  his  feet  with  an  evident  twinge  in  his  rheumatic 
knees,  felt  in  his  coat-tail  pocket  for  the  coveted  gallery  keys.  The 


i44  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

good  deed  had  its  reward  then  and  there,  in  the  beaming  and 
grateful  faces  of  the  troupe  of  little  beggars. 

The  gallery  in  question  was  a  sort  of  balcony,  projecting  from 
the  wall  at  one  end  of  the  hall,  midway  between  floor  and  ceiling, 
and  to  which  access  was  had  by  a  steep  little  spiral  stairway.  This 
gallery  was  intended  for  the  musicians  only  ;  but  between  its  gilded, 
bulging  front  and  the  part  of  the  platform  on  which  they  sat  was  a 
space  where  half  a  dozen  children  might  be  comfortably  accommo 
dated.  More  than  once,  when  some  reception  or  dance  was  in  prog 
ress,  Hazel,  with  a  few  chosen  friends  in  her  train,  had  begged  her 
way  into  this  most  desirable  retreat,  and  that  was  why  Peter  knew 
"  what  was  up"  the  moment  he  saw  her. 

When  they  entered  the  little  gallery,  they  found  John  Thomas 
there  before  them,  complacently  installed  in  the  most  desirable 
place ;  but  they  were  far  too  thankful  to  have  gotten  in  at  all  to 
grudge  him  his  privileged  position. 

It  was  a  funny  sight  to  see  the  little  company  established  in  a 
row  behind  the  heavy  gilded  stucco  work,  which  completely  con 
cealed  them,  yet  offered  such  convenient  little  loop-holes  and  cran 
nies,  from  which  everything  going  on  on  the  floor  below  could  be 
plainly  viewed.  To  be  sure,  the  arrangement  of  the  platform  obliged 
them  all  to  sit  tailor  fashion — rather  a  constrained  position  for  those 
unaccustomed  to  it — but  what  did  it  matter  about  one's  legs  and 
back  when  one's  eyes  were  to  be  feasted  with  lovely  ladies  and 
gallant  gentlemen  and  the  music  they  were  to  dance  to  would  be 


ringing;  m  ones  ears. 

o       o 


"Doesn't  the  hall  look  lovely?"  said  Hazel,  when  at  last  she 
had  adjusted  her  lower  extremities  as  comfortably  as  circumstances 
would  admit. 

"Lovely!"  answered  the  Marberrys,  each  with  a  sigh  of  deep 
appreciation,  for  it  had  not  been  an  easy  thing  for  them  to  gain  per 
mission  to  accompany  Hazel,  and  this  was  to  be  their  first  intro 
duction  to  the  glories  of  a  dancing  assembly. 

"  How  everything  shines!"  said  Flutters,  quite  lost  in  admiration 
of  the  glittering  brass  sconces,  with  their  bevelled  mirrors  and 
beautiful  red  candles,  and  wondering  greatly  how  any  floor  could 
ever  be  brought  to  such  a  high  state  of  polish. 

"'Course   it  shines,"    said    John  Thomas.     "It   ought   to  shine. 


IN    THE  LITTLE    GOLD    GALLERY.  145 

My  father  hasn't  been  reachin'  and  rubbin',  and  kneelin'  and 
polishin'  fur  free  weeks  fur  nuffin,  I  reckon." 

"  Did  you  help  him?"    asked   Flutters,  with  admiration. 

"  No,  sah,  I  did  not.  I  hasn't  no  time  for  polishin'.  I  assists  in 
Colonel  Hamilton's  law  office,"  and  John  Thomas  proudly  drew  him- 


'  '  I  ASSISTS  COLONEL  HAMILTON,'  JOHN  THOMAS  REPEATED." 

self  up  till  his  woolly  head  grazed  the  ridge  of  the  gallery  rail  above 
him. 

"  What,"  said  Starlight,  "  are  you  the  boy  in  Colonel  Hamilton's 
office  ?" 

"  I  assists  Colonel  Hamilton,"  John  Thomas  repeated,  not  being 


146  A    LOYAL  LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

willing  to  bring  himself  down  to  Starlight's  offensive  way  of  putting 
things. 

"  Yes,  I've  heard  about  you"  said  Starlight,  with  a  mischievous 
twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"  Wat  you  heard,  I'd  like  to  know !" 

"John  Thomas,"  came  a  voice  from  below,  "don't  let  me  hear 
anoder  word  from  you  dis  ebenin',  else  home  you  go  to  mammy 
right  smart,  I  can  tell  you,  and  de  oder  chilluns  long  wid  you  too." 
Old  Peter  had  shambled  out  to  the  middle  of  the  floor  to  take  one 
more  satisfactory  view  of  things  in  general,  and  just  in  time  to  hear 
John  Thomas's  excited  tones.  His  words  had  the  desired  effect; 
the  little  gallery  instantly  relapsed  into  absolute  silence,  the  six 
children  fairly  holding  their  breath  for  fear  of  the  threatened  banish 
ment.  People  were  beginning  to  come  now.  A  few  gentlemen 
were  already  on  the  floor,  and  the  musicians,  who  had  taken  their 
places  on  the  gallery  platform,  were  drawing  instruments,  which 
would  look  funny  enough  to-day,  from  the  depths  of  clumsy  green 
baize  bags,  and  beginning  to  "tune  up." 

"  Tell  me  w'at  you  heard  ?"  demanded  John  Thomas  of  Starlight, 
as  soon  as  he  dared  to  speak  again. 

"Oh,  John  Thomas,  please  don't  !"  begged  Milly  Marberry,  put 
ting  her  little  hand  most  beseechingly  on  his  sleeve;  "we've  never 
been  to  an  Assembly  before.  We'd  cry  our  eyes  out  if  your  father 
sent  us  home." 

John  Thomas  yielded  to  this  entreaty,  but  sullenly,  as  though 
he  meant  to  have  it  out  with  Starlight  some  day  or  other.  Any 
slur  upon  his  character  was  just  one  thing  that  that  young  gentle 
man  was  determined  not  to  endure,  and  the  sooner  Job  Starlight 
and  the  rest  of  the  world  came  to  that  wise  conclusion,  why,  so 
much  the  better  for  everybody  concerned — at  least, so  thought  John 
Thomas. 

It  was  a  pity  that  at  the  commencement  of  the  Assembly  Hazel, 
Milly,  and  Tilly  could  not  have  been  in  two  places  at  once,  for 
while  only  an  occasional  couple  strolled  on  to  the  dancing  floor,  the 
dressing-rooms  were  crowded.  There  would  have  been  a  peculiar 
pleasure  for  those  little  lovers  of  finery  to  see  the  pretty  toilets 
gradually  emerge  from  the  concealment  of  long  cloaks  and  shawls, 
and  to  have  studied  the  charming  vanities  of  peak-toed,  high-heeled 


IN   THE  LITTLE   GOLD    GALLERY.  147 

little  slippers  as  the  protecting  pattens  were  shaken  off  into  the 
hands  of  maids,  upon  their  knees  before  their  "  ladies."  But  at  last 
the  Assembly  floor  offered  more  attractions  than  the  dressing-room, 
and  a  long  line  of  couples,  constantly  reinforced  by  new  arrivals, 
were  promenading  in  stately  fashion  around  the  hall. 

"  There  come  the  Van  Vleets,"  exclaimed  Starlight,  as  Miss 
Francesca  and  Miss  Heide  entered,  each  on  the  arm  of  an  escort. 

"And  if  there  isn't  Miss  Pauline,"  whispered  Tilly  Marberry  ; 
"does  she  dance  ?" 

"  Dance  !"  said  Starlight  ;  "  well,  I  guess  you'll  think  so  when 
you  see  her.  She's  just  as  graceful  as  a  fairy." 

"  She's  just  as  queer  as  a  fairy,  too,"  remarked  Flutters.  "  I 
wouldn't  care  to  be  the  one  to  dance  with  her;  there'd  be  no  telling 
what  she  might  fly  off  and  do  next." 

"  It's  very  distressing  about  Miss  Pauline,"  said  Hazel,  reprov 
ingly  ;  "  and,  Flutters,  you  have  no  occasion  to  speak  like  that." 
Hazel  always  seemed  to  be  specially  successful  in  mustering  large 
words  when  she  felt  called  upon  to  administer  any  reproof  to  this 
little  servant  of  hers. 

"  No  occasion  !"  said  Flutters,  significantly,  for  the  recollection 
of  an  apple-tree  and  a  crying  maiden  was  not  so  far  removed  as  to 
lose  any  of  its  poignancy. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  questioned  Hazel,  with  a  puzzled  frown. 

"  Oh,  nothing  particular,"  Flutters  said,  quickly,  seeing  what  an 
explanation  might  lead  up  to,  and  then  he  succeeded  in  changing 
the  subject  by  announcing  the  arrival  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Boniface. 

"  Oh,  doesn't  mamma  look  lovely  1"  and  Hazel's  happy  little 
face  flushed  with  pride. 

"Yes;  and  just  look  at  Josephine!"  sighed  the  Marberrys, 
simultaneously,  for  those  little  women  were  so  overcharged  with 
delight  as  scarce  to  be  able  either  to  speak  or  breathe  in  quite 
regular  and  commonplace  fashion. 

"Ah!  shcs  the  girl,"  said  Starlight,  who,  whether  from  honest 
admiration  or  a  spirit  of  mischief,  never  lost  an  opportunity  for  ex 
tolling  the  virtues  and  attractions  of  Hazel's  older  sister. 

"And  she's  drawn  Harry  Avery,"  added  Hazel,  for  once  in  her 
life  adroit  enough  not  to  betray  any  annoyance  ;  "  I  don't  believe 
she  minds,  either." 


148  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"Well,  Harry  doesn't  mind,  I  know  that  much.  Shouldn't 
wonder  myself  if  he  managed  to  have  it  come  that  way."  Starlight 
evidently  spoke  from  knowledge  of  facts,  for,  like  as  not,  Cousin  Harry 
had  foolishly  taken  that  small  boy  somewhat  into  his  confidence. 

This  "drawing"  that  Hazel  spoke  of  was  a  queer  custom  of  the 
olden  days.  Partners  for  the  evening  were  chosen  by  lot.  They 
danced,  walked,  and  chatted  with  no  one  else,  and  when  the  dancing 
was  over  partook  together  of  such  modest  refreshment  as  rusks  and 
tea.  This  arrangement  was  most  advantageous  for  the  young  ladies 
who  were  not  specially  attractive,  for  by  means  of  it  the  fairest  and 
the  plainest  were  treated  exactly  alike.  Now,  for  all  this  informa 
tion,  and  much  more  beside,  as  I  told  you  in  the  preface,  we  are  in 
debted  to  that  delightful  first  chapter  of  Mr.  McMasters's  History; 
but  although  you  may  not  be  old  enough  to  care  to  read  that 
chapter  for  yourself,  nor  half  old  enough  to  be  allowed  to  attend  a 
Dancing  Assembly,  nor  fortunate  enough  to  gain  entrance  to  a  little 
mid-air  gallery,  where  you  could  watch  all  the  fine  goings  on  unob 
served,  yet  I  believe  you  are  quite  old  enough  to  understand  one 
thing— and  that  is  that  the  pleasure  of  those  old-time  assemblies 
must  have  depended  altogether  upon  the  partner  that  fell  to  one's 
lot.  A  wretched  sort  of  a  time,  or  an  indifferent  sort  of  a  time,  or  a 
very  good  time  indeed— all  lay  within  the  possibilities  of  that  one 
little  chance.  So  do  you  wonder  very  much,  or  do  you  blame  them 
very  much,  if  those  old-fashioned  beaux,  with  their  powdered  hair, 
velvet  knee  breeches,  and  silver  shoe-buckles,  sometimes  "  managed 
things,"  as  Starlight  said?  At  any  rate,  Harry  Avery  was  supremely 
happy  to  have  Josephine  Boniface  fall  to  his  lot,  and  if  he  hadn  t 
been'guilty  of  "managing  things"  at  all,  why,  all  that  remains  to  be 
said  is  that  he  was  a  very  lucky  fellow.  Miss  Pauline  formed  the 
only  exception  to  this  rigidly  observed  rule,  as  it  was  always  an 
understood  thing  that  her  brother  Hans  should  be  her  partner;  but 
being,  as  Starlight  said,  "  as  graceful  as  a  fairy,"  and  quite  as  light  on 
her  feet,  it  often  happened  that  some  friend  of  the  Van  Vleets 
would  beg  a  dance  of  Pauline,  and  give  the  faithful  brother  a  chance 
for  "  a  turn"  with  his  partner  in  exchange. 

"Why, there's  Aunt  Frances,"  exclaimed  Starlight, suddenly  spy 
ing  her  seated  in  a  chair  at  the   farther  corner  of  the  room, 
she  come  in  with  the  Van  Vleets  ?" 


IN    THE  LITTLE   GOLD    GALLERY.  149 

"  Yes,  I  think  so  ;  and  doesn't  she  look  a  picture  !"  said  Hazel, 
fairly  feasting  her  eyes  upon  that  much-loved  lady.  "  And  her  dress, 
girls  !  isrit  it  lovely  !"  and  Hazel,  in  her  eagerness,  gave  Tilly  Mar- 
berry,  who  sat  next  to  her,  a  good  hard  hug.  "  When  I  am  forty 
or  fifty,  or  whatever  age  Aunt  Frances  is,  I  shall  wear  black 
velvet  and  soft  old  lace  about  my  neck  just  like  that.  Now  I 
shouldn't  wonder"- -Hazel  spoke  'slowly,  as  if  really  giving  the 
matter  most  thoughtful  consideration-  "  I  shouldn't  wonder  if 
Aunt  Frances  was  as  pretty  as  Josephine  when  she  was  a  real 

young  lady." 

11 1  half  believe  I  think  she's  as  pretty  now,"  answered  Starlight, 
notwithstanding  his  constant  championship  of  Josephine's  superior 
charms. 

"Who's  she  talking  to,  Starlight?" 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  said  Starlight. 

"  Why,  dat's  Major  Potter,  a  lawyer  what  practices  down  our 
way  "  volunteered  John  Thomas,  "and  dere  !  dere  comes  my  Colonel 
and 'Lady  Hamilton.  Isn't  she  a  booty?  Where's  your  Aunt 
Frances  now,  Mars  Starlight?" 

"  Just  where  she  was  before,  John  Thomas,  the  loveliest-looking 
lady  in  the  room.  Lady  Hamilton  is  very  handsome,  though." 

11  Handsome  !  well,  you'd  better  believe  it ;  and  de  Colonel !  now 
jus'  look  at  him.  chilluns.  Isn't  he  just  too  elegant !  He  jus' ought 
to  be  a  king,  Colonel  Hamilton  ought  ter,  and  he's  dat  kind,  he 
wouldn't  speak  cross  to  de  laziest  pickaninny  in  de  land." 

"Then  I  suppose  he  never  speaks  cross  to  you,  John  Thomas," 
said  Hazel,  significantly. 

"  Dere  ain't  neber  no  'casion,  Miss  Hazel,"  and  John  Thomas 
looked  as  though  he  considered  her  remark  altogether  uncalled  for. 

"  Ain't  dere  neber  no  'casion?"  asked  Starlight,  perfectly  imitat 
ing  the  darkey  dialect.  "  How  'bout  dat  mornin'  when  you  upset  de 
trash  basket  in  de  middle  of  de  office  flo'  ?" 

"  Dat  mornin'  was  a  'ception,  Mars  Starlight,  and  it  seems  to  me 
your  cousin,  Mr.  Avery,  might  fin'  somethin'  better  to  talk  'bout  dan 
to  be  detailin'  de  little  events  of  de  office." 

It  was  great  fun  to  hear  John  Thomas  go  on  in  this  fashion. 
He  had  the  reputation  of  being  the  most  amusing  little  darkey  in 
the  city,  and  when  they  were  not  completely  absorbed  in  watching 


150  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

the  dancing,  Hazel  and  Starlight  managed  between  them  to  keep 
him  "going,"  to  the  delighted  amusement  of  the  Marberrys. 

Meantime  the  minute  hand  of  the  great  white-faced  clock  at  the 
end  of  the  hall  was  marking  quarter  to  eight  in  no  uncertain  char 
acters,  and  Hazel  had  faithfully  promised  that  at  eight  o'clock  her 
little  party  should  turn  their  backs  on  the  festivities,  no  matter  how 
alluring  and  absorbing  they  might  happen  to  be  at  that  particular 
moment.  But  it  sometimes  happens  that  matters  of  considerable 
importance  come  to  pass  within  the  limits  of  fifteen  minutes — often, 
in  fact,  in  much  shorter  time  than  that,  and  this  was  true  of  the  par 
ticular  fifteen  minutes  in  question. 

And  now,  as  this  is  already  a  pretty  long  chapter,  I  propose  that 
we  stop  right  where  we  are,  make  a  new  one,  and  call  it  - 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


MORE  OF  A  RED-COAT  THAN  EVER. 


HILE  Hazel  and  Starlight, Flut 
ters,  John  Thomas,  and  the 
Marberrys  were  so  hugely  en 
joying  watching  the  people 
down  there  on  the  floor  of  the 
Assembly,  it  so  happened  that 
some  of  the  people  were  not 
enjoying  themselves  at  all.  In 
deed,  quite  the  contrary ;  for 
not  a  few  were  acting  un 
kindly,  and  others  were  being 
treated  unkindly ;  and  if  there 
is  any  enjoyment  for  anybody 
in  that  sort  of  a  proceeding, 
one  ought  to  be  thankful  not 
yet  to  have  discovered  it. 

You  know  how  it  came 
about  that  Colonel  and  Mrs. 
Boniface  went  to  the  Assembly ; 
it  was  simply  because  they  felt 

they  ou^ht  to.  If  the  old  friends  were  truly  sorry  for  having  been  so 
unfriendly,  would  it  not  be  ungracious  for  them  to  decline  this  invita 
tion  ?  Would  it  not  look  as  if  they  themselves  were  still  harboring 
ill-feeling?  And  you  also  know  that  Harry  Avery  had  been 
consulted  in  the  matter,  and  that  his  urgent  advice  had  been,  "  Go, 
by  all  means."  So  the  Colonel  and  his  wife  had  decided  to  accept 
quite  in  the  face  of  all  their  preferences,  and  dreading  the  ordeal  far 
more  than  either  was  willing  to  confess  to  the  other.  But  alas  !  for 


1 52  A   LOYAL  LITTLE  RED-COAT, 

the  decision  that  cost  them  such  a  personal  sacrifice,  and  alas !  for 
the  hopefulness  of  Harry's  buoyant  temperament ;  for  if  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  Boniface  ever  had  reason  abundantly  to  regret  any  step 
they  had  ever  taken,  it  was  going  to  this  Dancing  Assembly ;  and  if 
ever  two  proud  and  sensitive  hearts  were  stung  to  the  quick,  theirs 
were  that  evening.  It  seems  that  Harry  was  mistaken  in  thinking 
that  the  invitation  had  been  sent  because  of  a  general  desire  to 
make  amends  to  the  Bonifaces.  True  it  was  that  two  members  of 
the  Assembly  Committee  had  insisted  upon  their  being  invited, 
hardly  thinking,  however,  that  they  would  come  ;  but  alas !  in  case 
they  did  come  some  other  members  had  resolved  to  make  it  very 
uncomfortable  for  them.  Somehow  or  other  nothing  seems  so 
completely  to  change  a  warm  human  heart  into  something  as  cold 
and  hard  as  a  stone  as  what  men  call  a  strong  party  feeling,  and 
party  feeling  ran  very  high  in  those  days  in  which  our  great-grand 
fathers  lived  a  hundred  years  ago.  That  is  to  say,  men  felt  so  sure 
that  their  own  opinions  were  the  only  right  ones  that  they  fairly 
hated  those  who  did  not  agree  with  them. 

And  so  it  happened  that,  with  cheeks  crimsoned  from  the  insults 
they  had  received,  and  with  blood  tingling  to  their  very  finger  tips 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Boniface  left  the  room,  sending  word  ^to  Jose- 
phine  (who  had  been  screened  from  any  insult  by  Harry's  chival 
rous  devotion)  to  follow  them.  Hazel  suddenly  missed  them  from 
the  crowd  below,  and  knew  in  a  flash  what  had  happened.  Indeed, 
the  color  had  flushed  into  her  own  round  cheeks  as  she  thought  she 
saw  a  Mrs.  Potter,  whose  husband  was  a  leading  Whig,  pretend  not 
to  see  that  Mrs.  Boniface  had  made  a  move  toward  shaking  hands 
with  her.  But  "  No,"  she  thought,  "  I  must  be  mistaken;  no  lady 
would  be  so  rude."  So  it  would  seem,  little  Hazel;  but  it  often 
happens  that  things  are  not  what  they  seem  in  this  queer  world  of 
ours;  and  as  Hazel's  dear  mother  learned  to  her  sorrow,  several 
others  who  called  themselves  ladies  could  be  just  as  rude  as  Mrs. 
Potter,  and  some  of  them  yet  more  rude.  Fortunately  for  the  Mar- 
berrys  and  Starlight  and  Flutters,  the  clock  was  just  on  the  stroke 
of  eight  when  Hazel  made  her  unhappy  discovery,  for  she  could  not 
have  borne  to  have  sat  there  another  moment  looking  down  on  that 
brilliant  company,  many  of  whom,  looking  so  fine  and  attractive, 
were  at  heart  so  cruel. 


MORE    OF  A    RED-COAT    THAN  EVER,  153 

"  Time's  up,"  said  Hazel,  starting  to  creep  round  to  the  little  door 
at  the  back  of  the  gallery,  and  not  trusting  herself  to  say  more  than 
that  for  fear  a  trembling  voice  should  betray  her  suppressed  excite 
ment. 

Hazel  was  the  acknowledged  commander-in-chief  of  that  little 
party,  and  difficult  as  it  was  to  turn  abruptly  from  the  fascinating 
scene,  the  children  dropped  obediently  on  to  all  fours,  and  followed 
in  her  train.  The  Marberrys'  carriage  was  waiting  at  the  door,  and 
Flutters,  after  helping  the  others  in,  climbed  onto  the  box  beside 
Jake,  the  driver.  It  was  wonderful  the  way  in  which  he  seemed 
always  to  know  intuitively  the  "  proper  thing"  to  do.  He  was  con 
stantly  placed  on  such  an  equal  footing  with  the  other  children  that 
it  would  have  been  only  natural  for  him  to  have  frequently  for 
gotten  that,  after  all,  he  was  only  Miss  Hazel's  little  servant;  but 
somehow  or  other  he  never  did  forget  it  ;  perfectly  free  in  his 
manner,  and  never  in  any  sense  servile,  yet  always  betraying  a 
little  air  of  respectful  deference  that  was  simply  charming. 
Indeed,  body-servant  or  no,  all  the  Bonifaces  had  grown  to  actu 
ally  loving  little  Flutters,  and  Flutters  knew  it  and  was  radiantly 
happy. 

All  the  way  home  Hazel  tried  to  be  as  merry  as  before.  It 
would  be  such  a  pity,  she  thought  unselfishly,  to  spoil  the  Mar 
berrys'  good  time;  but  she  did  not  succeed  very  well. 

"  Are  you  tired,  Hazel?"  asked  Milly,  as  they  neared  home. 

"Yes,  awfully  tired,"  and  with  this  admission  the  tears  sprang 
into  her  eyes;  but  fortunately  it  was  too  dark  in  the  carriage  for  any 
one  to  see  them.  "  It's  very  uncomfortable,"  she  added,  "  to  sit  with 
your  legs  curled  under  you  so  long  as  we  had  to  there  in  the 
gallery." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?"  exclaimed  Tilly ;  "  why,  I  could  have  sat 
there  till  morning,  and  never  known  I  had  a  leg,  it  was  all  so 
lovely  !" 

"  So  lovely  !"  echoed  Milly  in  a  tone  of  evident  regret  that  it 
was  over. 

"  Here  we  are,"  said  Hazel,  as  Flutters  leaped  down  and  opened 
the  door  for  her  ;  "  good-night,  Milly"  (a  kiss)  ;  "good-night,  Tilly" 
(another  kiss)  ;  "  much  obliged  for  the  ride." 

"  Much  obliged   for  the  lovely  time,"  the  Marberrys  called  back, 


i54  'A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

for  Jake,  impatient  to  get  home  and  to  bed,  had  immediately  driven 
on. 

"  Why,  it  looks  as  though  your  father  and  mother  were  home," 
Starlight  exclaimed  as  they  walked  up  the  path. 

"  Yes,  they  are  home,  1  know  that,"  said  Hazel,  excitedly,  "  and 
Josephine  is  home,  and  I  know  too  that  they've  had  a  horrid  time, 
and  that  they'll  never  go  to  anything  in  New  York  again — never  ; 
and  if  there  is  a  cowardly  set  of  creatures  in  the  world  it's  the  spite 
ful  old  Whigs." 

Starlight  and  Flutters  stood  aghast,  while  Hazel  flew  past  them 
into  the  house,  slamming  the  front  door  after  her,  as  much  as  to  say 
that  no  exasperating  Whig  should  ever  enter  it  again,  not  even  if 
his  name  was  Job  Avery  Starlight. 

The  boys  sat  down  on  the  step  of  the  porch  and  conversed  in 
dazed,  excited  whispers  as  to  what  it  could  all  mean. 

Hazel  flew  up  the  stairs  into  her  mother's  room  and  into  her 
mother's  arms  with  one  great  sob. 

"Why,  Hazel,  my  little  daughter,  what  is  the  matter  ?"  and  Mrs. 
Boniface,  whom  Hazel  had  found  sitting  in  a  low  rocker  at  the 
window,  still  in  the  dress  she  had  worn  to  the  ball,  drew  Hazel's 
brown  head  on  to  her  shoulder,  and  soothingly  stroked  the  brown 
wavy  hair;  but  the  tears  were  in  her  own  eyes,  and  her  heart  was 
very  heavy. 

Hazel  could  not  speak  at  first  for  crying,  but  the  caressing  touch 
of  that  dear  hand  was  wonderfully  calming,  and  presently  she  was 
able  to  say,  "  I  know  all  about  it,  mother.  I  know  they  treated  you 
shamefully.  I  saw  that  horrid  old  Mrs.  Potter  when  she— 

11  Hazel !   Hazel,  dear,  you  must  not  talk  like  this." 

"  But  it's  true,  every  word  of  it  is  true,  and  tell  me"  (and  Hazel 
straightened  herself  up  and  looked  through  blinding  tears  into  her 
mother's  face),  "  didn't  they  insult  you  ?  didn't  they  treat  you  very 
rudely,  and  didn't  you  all  come  home  on  that  account  ?" 

11  Well,  they  certainly  were  not  very  kind,  Hazel,  and  it  seemed 
best  for  us  to  come  home  ;  but  it  is  not  worth  caring  too  much 
about,  you  know." 

"  And  to  think  how  friendly  Mrs.  Potter  used  to  be,  and  how 
much  she  pretended  to  think  of  you,  mother,"  and  Hazel,  becoming 
a  little  less  excited,  thoughtfully  turned  the  little  turquoise  ring  on 


f 
c 


>  c 

V,     4 


WHY,  HAZEL,  MY  LITTLE  DAUGHTER,  WHAT  is  THE  MATTER? 


156  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

her  finger  round  and  round,  and  shook  her  head  sadly  from  side  to 
side,  as  though  her  faith  in  human  nature  was  forever  shaken,  as  in 
deed  it  had  reason  to  be. 

It  was  a  pretty  picture,  albeit  a  rather  sad  one,  the  mother  and 
daughter,  in  the  graceful  costumes  of  a  hundred  years  ago,  sitting 
there  in  the  low  studded  room,  dimly  lighted  by  the  little  rush-light 
on  the  mantel — a  high  narrow  mantel,  with  the  glowing  embers  on 
the  andirons  beneath  it  crackling  loudly  now  and  then,  after  the 
manner  of  a  \vood  fire  that  is  slowly  dying  out.  An  oblong  mirror, 
hung  at  a  wide  angle  from  the  wall,  surmounted  the  high  mantel, 
and  reflected  the  little  rocker  with  its  double  load,  and  the  pretty 
old-fashioned  drapery  at  the  window.  It  was  not  often  that  that 
little  mirror,  nor  any  other  mirror  for  that  matter,  had  the  chance  to 
frame  a  picture  for  itself  full  as  lovrely  as  ever  artist  dreamed  of. 

But  while  Hazel  and  her  mother  were  talking,  and  Hazel  her 
self  was  growing  calmer  and  Mrs.  Boniface's  heart  lighter  with  the 
effort  to  cheer  her,  some  other  things  were  happening  in  which  we 
have  an  interest.  Captain  Boniface  was  striding  along  the  road 
that  led  on  to  the  Marberrys,  trying  to  walk  off  the  angry  feelings 
that  threatened  to  get  the  mastery  over  him.  There  is  nothing  like 
a  good  brisk  walk  in  bracing  air  to  get  a  feverish,  excited  mind  into 
normal  condition,  and  the  Captain  knew  it ;  but  when  the  force  of 
the  angry  mood  had  spent  itself,  there  still  was  left  to  him  a  sense 
of  sad  hopelessness  for  which  he  saw  no  remedy.  To  have  a  little 
family  on  one's  hands  and  no  money  to  care  for  them  is  enough  to 
make  the  bravest  heart  heavy ;  but  to  have  reached  that  point,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  see  every  chance  of  ever  getting  on  one's  feet 
again  absolutely  taken  away,  is  enough  to  break  a  man's  spirit. 
And  matters  had  come  to  just  that  pass  that  evening  with  Captain 
Boniface.  If  the  old  friends  had  at  last  shown  themselves  friendly, 
he  would  have  felt  there  was  a  hope  of  his  making  his  services  val 
uable  to  some  of  them,  as  indeed  there  would  have  been,  for  every 
one  acknowledged  Captain  Boniface  to  be  a  man  of  rare  ability. 
But  it  had  now  been  shown  him  very  plainly  that  there  was  no  use 
in  longer  trying  to  stem  the  tide  of  hate  and  prejudice  that  set  so 
strongly  against  him,  and  with  the  future  a  hopeless  blank,  he 
finally  turned  his  face  homeward.  But  the  other  thing  that  was 
happening,  and  in  which  we  too  have  an  interest,  was  of  a  cheerier 


MORE   OF  A    RED-COAT    THAN  EVER.  157 

sort,  and  was  taking  place  at  the  Assembly,  which  had  only  fairly 
gotten  under  way  when  the  Bonifaces  left  it. 

That  old-fashioned  law  of  a  partner  for  the  evening,  to  be 
chosen  by  lot,  of  course  applied  only  to  the  young  folks,  and  the 
more  staid,  middle-aged,  and  elderly  people  were  free  to  chat  with 
each  other,  else  why  should  they  have  cared  to  go  to  the  ball  at  all  ? 

Now  it  happened  that  Aunt  Frances,  who  was  quite  in  igno 
rance  of  the  sad  experiences  of  the  Bonifaces,  was  having  a  most  sat 
isfactory  conversation  with  a  Mrs.  Rainsford,  a  near  neighbor,  whom 
she  had  not  seen  since  her  flight  from  home  nearly  two  years  before, 
for  Mrs.  Rainsford  was  able  to  answer  a  great  many  questions  which 
Aunt  Frances  had  been  longing  to  ask  about  her  own  home,  and 
the  care  it  was  having. 

"  No,  I  should  not  think  the  place  had  been  greatly  abused,"  said 
Mrs.  Rainsford,  while  Aunt  Frances  sat,  an  eager  listener.  "  Captain 
Wadsworth  moved  his  men  down  to  the  barracks  at  Fort  George  a 
month  ago,  and  since  then  he  has  been  giving  the  house  a  thorough 
overhauling.  You  know  he  has  resigned  his  commission,  and 
intends  to  remain  in  this  country." 

"Yes;  and  I  know,  too,  that  he  intends  to  remain  in  my  home," 
sighed  Aunt  Frances.  "  I  wonder  if  he  would  sell  it  to  me,  though, 
for  that  matter,  it's  as  much  mine  to-day  as  it  ever  was.  But  there's 
no  use  to  talk  about  that  either,  for  1  have  saved  from  the  wreck 
barely  money  enough  to  live  upon." 

"  But,  Miss  A  very,"  said  Mrs.  Rainsford  in  a  serious  whisper,  that 
was  scarcely  audible  above  the  music,  "  I'll  tell  you  one  thing: 
I  do  not  believe  Captain  Wadsworth  will  remain  in  your  house 
very  long." 

"  Indeed  !  why  not  ?"  and  Aunt  Frances's  elevated  eyebrows  be 
trayed  her  surprise. 

"Why,  because  it  is  going  to  be  so  very  uncomfortable  for  all 
Loyalists  here  in  the  city." 

11  I  do  not  quite  see  what  you  mean,  Mrs.  Rainsford." 

"  No,  of  course  not,  dear,"  replied  Mrs.  Rainsford  (seeming  to 
regard  Aunt  Frances  in  the  light  of  an  older  daughter,  though,  in 
point  of  fact,  there  was  but  little  difference  in  their  ages.)  "  No,  of 
course  not ;  your  kind  heart  would  never  dream  of  such  things  as 
are  happening  on  every  side.  The  leading  Whigs,  now  that- the 


i58  A    LOYAL    LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

Revolution  has  been  successful,  say  that  they'll  make  this  town  too 
hot  to  hold  a  single  Tory,  and,  mark  my  words,  they'll  do  it,  too. 
Perhaps  you  haven't  noticed  how  the  Bonifaces  were  treated  to 
night  ;  they  went  home  some  time  ago." 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Rainsford,  can  that  be  possible  ?"  questioned  Aunt 
Frances,  looking  vainly  about  the  room  in  search  of  her  friends;  "I 
call  that  cruelty  of  the  most  unwarrantable  sort." 

"  Yes,  it  must  be  very  humiliating  to  say  the  least;  but  then  they 
have  brought  it  upon  themselves,  you  must  remember,"  for  Mrs. 
Rainsford  was  herself  a  most  ardent  Whig,  and  thought  the  Loyal 
ists,  whether  English  or  American,  should  be  made  to  pay  very 
dearly  for  their  behavior. 

"  You  ought  to  have  seen  your  garden  this  summer,  Miss 
Avery,"  continued  Mrs.  Rainsford,  reverting  to  their  former  subject. 
"  Captain  Wadsworth  must  be  very  fond  of  flowers.  He  took  the 
best  of  care  of  it." 

"  I  think  I  could  not  have  borne  to  see  it,  Mrs.  Rainsford." 

"  No,  perhaps  not,  dear  child  ;  and  to  think  that  you  really  have 
Alexander  Hamilton  to  thank  for  it  all.  You  must  hate  him.  He 
is  here  to-night,  you  know,  with  his  young  wife.  I  don't  wonder  she 
turned  the  heads  of  the  officers  at  Morristown.  You  know  she 
went  to  visit  her  aunt  while  Washington  had  his  headquarters 
there,  and  Hamilton  was  his  afde-de-camp,  and  fell  in— 

"  Sh—  "  interrupted  Aunt  Frances,  who  saw  that  Colonel  Ham 
ilton  was  not  very  far  off,  and  might  easily  overhear  what  they  were 
saying;  and,  indeed,  he  was  not  far  off,  for  the  very  good  reason 
that,  in  the  company  of  his  friend,  Major  Potter,  every  step  was 
bringing  him  nearer. 

Imagine,  if  you  can,  Aunt  Frances's  surprise  when  Major 
Potter,  whom  she  knew  quite  well,  paused  before  her,  and  bowing 
low,  with  old-time  grace  and  courtliness,  said  slowly,  "May  I  take 
the  liberty,  Miss  Avery,  of  presenting  my  friend,  Colonel  Ham 
ilton  ?" 

Aunt  Frances  was,  of  course,  greatly  confused,  though  too  much 
of  a  lady  to  betray  it ;  but  Mrs.  Rainsford,  astonished  beyond  meas 
ure,  and  not  always  at  her  ease,  was  quite  glad  to  slip  away  from 
an  interview  that  promised  to  be,  to  say  the  least,  embarrassing. 

Colonel  Hamilton  took  the  seat  she  left  vacant.     "  I  begged  the 


MORE    OF  A    RED-COAT    THAN  EVER. 


159 


favor  of  an   introduction,  Miss  A  very,  and  am  very  glad  to  meet 
you,"  he  said,  politely. 

"  I    must  not  doubt  your  sincerity,   Colonel    Hamilton,"    Aunt 


"MAY    I    TAKE   THE   LIBERTY,    MlSS  AVERY,    OF  PRESENTING    MY  FRIEND,  COLONEL  HAMILTON?" 

Frances  replied  with  no  little  dignity,  "  but  perhaps  you  do  not 
recognize  in  me  the  Miss  Avery  whom  you  lately  defeated  in  the 
courts." 


160  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"On  the  contrary/'  replied  the  Colonel  with  a  deferential  air, 
for  Aunt  Frances  was  by  many  years  his  senior,  "  that  is  the  very 
reason  why  I  wished  to  meet  you.  I  feel  myself  to  have  been  the 
cause— 

"  Excuse  me,  Colonel  Hamilton,  but  I  desire  neither  apologies 
nor  sympathy  ;"  for  with  all  her  sweetness,  Aunt  Frances  was 
high  spirited ;  she  thought  the  Colonel's  manner  was  a  little 
patronizing. 

But  Colonel  Hamilton  was  high  spirited  too,  and  was  on  his 
feet  in  a  moment.  "  It  was  not  my  intention  to  offer  either  sym 
pathy  or  apologies.  I  bid  you  good-evening,  Miss  Avery." 

But  Aunt  Frances  said' quickly,  "  In  that  case  I  should  prefer 
you  to  remain,  Colonel  Hamilton." 

"Thank  you,"  and  the  Colonel,  with  no  little  dignity,  resumed 
his  seat,  while  Aunt  Frances  condescended  to  add  : 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  be  rude,  but  I  wished  you  to  understand 
my  position." 

"  It  was  because  I  wished  you  to  understand  mine  that  I  sought 
this  interview,  Miss  Avery;  but  I  see  I  have  need  to  be  very  care 
ful  as  to  my  choice  of  words." 

Aunt  Frances  smiled,  as  much  as  to  say,  "Quite  right,  Colonel 
Hamilton." 

"  I  hope  you  realize,"  he  said,  "  that  my  argument  in  Captain 
Wadsworth's  case  was  founded  on  the  most  sincere  convictions ;" 
and  the  Colonel  half  betrayed  the  admiration  which  Aunt  Frances 
somehow  inspired  in  him,  notwithstanding  her  high-spiritedness. 

"  I  never  questioned  that,  Colonel  Hamilton." 

"So  I  felt  I  had  reason  to  believe,  when  I  found  you  .had  urged 
your  nephew  to  make  application  for  the  vacancy  in  my  office." 

"Why,  I  told  Harry  it  was  hardly  necessary  to  volunteer  the 
fact  of  our  relationship,"  said  Aunt  Frances,  with  unconcealed  sur 
prise. 

"He  evidently  did  not  agree  with  you  then,  for  he  had  been 
with  me  scarce  twenty-four  hours  before  he  told  me  he  was  your 
nephew.  I  suppose  you  thought,  if  I  knew  it,  that  it  might  count 
against  him;  on  the  contrary,  let  me  assure  you  it  has  helped  him. 
It  is  no  light  thing,  Miss  Avery,  to  have  done  any  one  an  injury, 
whether  from  conscientious  motives  or  not;  and  I  shall  welcome 


MORE    OF  A    RED- CO  AT    THAN  EVER.  161 

every  chance  to  atone  for  it  that  comes  within  my  power.  I  can 
imagine,  in  part  at  least,  what  it  must  mean  to  be  banished  from 
the  home  of  a  life-time  under  any  circumstances,  and  especially 
when  you  feel  that  you  have  still  a  perfect  right  to  be  there." 

This  looked  a  little  like  sympathy  on  the  Colonel's  part,  but  it 
was  too  kindly  meant  to  be  rejected.  They  were  treading,  how 
ever,  dangerously  near  the  region  of  Aunt  Frances's  proud  sensi 
tiveness,  so  she  changed  the  direction  somewhat  by  asking,  "  But 
Harry  is  able  to  rise  on  his  own  merits,  is  he  not,  Colonel  Ham 
ilton  ?" 

"Abundantly;  that  was  one  thing  I  desired  to  tell  you.  He 
has  unusual  capacity,  and  is  remarkably  efficient.  I  think  his  future 
assured.  As  for  me,  it  is  a  great  satisfaction  to  know  you  do  not 
question  my  sincerity.  And  now,  Miss  Avery,  I  will  not  detain 
you  longer,  and  will  say  good-evening." 

"Good-evening,  Colonel  Hamilton." 

And  so  the  Colonel  went  back,  to  his  pretty  young  wife  in  the 
farther  corner  of  the  room,  and  Aunt  Frances,  with  a  tumult  of 
thoughts  in  her  heart,  rejoined  the  Van  Vleets,  and  was  glad  to  find 
them  making  ready  to  go  down  to  the  clumsy  barge,  which, 
manned  by  two  of  the  farm  hands,  was  waiting  to  carry  them  home 
across  the  moonlit  river.  Flow  much  she  had  to  think  over;  and 
what  had  Colonel  Hamilton  told  her  but  that  he  would  lose  no 
chance  to  atone  for  what  his  duty,  as  he  understood  it,  had  com 
pelled  him  to  do.  But  one  thing  Colonel  Hamilton  had  not  told 
her,  but  which  was  very  true,  nevertheless,  and  that  was,  that  one  of 
the  strongest  impulses  toward  this  same  atoning  had  come  to  him 
in  the  form  of  a  call  from  a  very  earnest  and  winsome  little  maiden 
one  sunny  September  morning.  "  Yes,  what  may  it  not  mean  ?" 
thought  Aunt  Frances,  and  a  hope  that  she  had  not  dared  to 
cherish  for  a  long,  long  time  shaped  itself  once  more  before  her. 
Perhaps  it  might  come  about  that  she  should  have  her  home  again 
some  day  ;  surely  it  was  not  impossible,  since  Colonel  Hamilton 
himself  was  enlisted  in  her  favor.  And  this  was  the  man  whom  she 
thought  her  worst  enemy — whom  she  had  said  she  would  go  a  long 
way  to  avoid  meeting.  Very  thankful  was  she  now  that  the 
Colonel  had  given  her  no  opportunity  to  carry  out  her  intention. 
So  there  is  this  comfort  :  if  some  sorry  things  happened  at  the 


162  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

Assembly,  some  other  things  happened  that  were  not  sorry  at 
all. 

Meanwhile  poor  Starlight  and  Flutters  sat  shivering  on  the  front 
porch.  Captain  Boniface  had  come  home,  but  had  quietly  entered 
the  house  at  the  rear,  and  the  children  had  not  heard  him. 

"  Really,  I  think  we  had  better  go  in  now,"  said  Flutters,  as 
though  he  had  brought  the  same  inducement  to  bear  upon  Starlight 
several  times  before. 

"  You  may  go  if  you  like,"  answered  Starlight.  "  It's  different 
with  you,  you  live  here ;  but  you  don't  catch  me  going  in  at  a  door 
that's  been  slammed  in  my  face,  unless  the  some-one  who  slammed  it 
comes  out  and  gets  me." 

So  Flutters  stretched  and  yawned  and  shivered  a  moment 
longer,  and  then  decided  to  quit  the  dreary  scene. 

"  Now,  don't  you  tell  Hazel  that  I'm  out  here,  Flutters.  Promise 
me." 

"  Not  if  she  asks  me  ?" 

"  No,  not  if  she  asks  you  fifty  times."  Starlight  was  angry,  and 
not  without  reason,  but  he  did  not  believe  impetuous  Hazel  would 
give  him  another  thought,  and  so  he  looked  about  to  see  how  he 
could  most  comfortably  pass  the  night  on  the  porch,  for  he  knew 
nowhere  to  go  at  that  late  hour.  Perhaps  it  was  a  pity  for  a  fellow 
to  be  so  proud,  but  he  could  not  help  it.  He  wondered  if  other 
people's  pride  made  the  blood  rush  so  hotly  through  their  veins, 
and  made  their  hearts  thump  like  trip  hammers;  there  was  one  good 
thing  about  it,  though :  it  helped  to  keep  him  a  little  warmer  out 
there  in  the  chill  November  evening. 

Flutters  groped  his  way  forlornly  to  bed,  for  all  the  lights  were 
out  in  the  house.  He  longed  to  knock  at  Hazel's  door  and  tell 
her  about  Starlight,  and  his  hand  actually  doubled  itself  in  a  prepar 
atory  way  as  he  passed  her  door ;  but  no,  it  would  not  do.  Starlight 
would  never  forgive  him  ;  besides,  he  had  promised. 

But  fortunately  it  was  not  to  be  an  out-all-night  experience,  after 
all,  for  Starlight.  Hazel's  room  was  directly  under  the  roof  of  the 
high,  pillared  porch,  and  as,  just  before  getting  into  bed,  she  leaned 
out  to  close  the  blinds,  so  that  the  morning  sun  should  not  wake 
such  a  tired  and  sorrowful  little  body  too  early,  she  saw  some  dark 
thing  lying  under  the  mat  on  the  porch.  At  first  she  thought  it 


MORE   OF  A    RED-COAT   THAN  EVER.  163 

was  the  Marberrys'  dog,  who  occasionally  made  them  a  visit,  so  she 
called,  "  Bruno  !  Bruno!"  in  a  penetrating  whisper,  but  the  dark 
object  showed  no  signs  of  life.  Then  she  said,  "  Who  is  it  ?"  and 
the  dark  object  moved  a  little  and  replied  sullenly,  "  Who  do  you 
suppose  ?" 

"  Why,  Job  Starlight,  what  are  you  doing  out  there;  you'll  catch 
your  death  of  cold/' 

"  I  know  it,"  said  Starlight,  for  by  this  time  even  his  pride  had 
cooled  down  a  little,  and  his  teeth  were  chattering,  "  and  there'll  be 
no  one  to  blame  for  it  but  yourself,  Hazel  Boniface." 

"  What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Hazel;  but  as  she  spoke  a  convic 
tion  of  just  exactly  what  he  meant  swept  over  her.  "Haven't  you 
been  in  since  I  left  you  on  the  porch  ?" 

"  No,  I  haven't  been  in  since  you  slammed  the  door  in  my  face 
and  said  if  there  was  a  cowardly  set  of  spiteful  old  creatures  in  the 
world  it  was  the  Whigs." 

"  I  did  not  call  you  a  -  "  and  then  Hazel  realized  that  it  was 
very  foolish,  as  well  as  very  cold,  to  stand  talking  there  in  that  way, 
so  she  called  down,  "  But  wait  a  minute,  and  I'll  come  and  let  you  in." 
Then  she  closed  the  shutters  and  hurriedly  slipped  into  her  wrapper 
and  slippers,  and  in  a  twinkling  the  hall  lamp  was  lighted  and  the 
hall  door  thrown  open  ;  but  Starlight  was  in  no  hurry  to  enter — not 
he ;  he  was  going  to  see  this  thing  through  in  right  dignified 
fashion,  notwithstanding,  now  that  the  prospect  looked  more  cheer 
ful,  he  could  himself  see  a  funny  side  to  the  proceeding. 

"I  did  not  mean  you  were  cowardly  or  spiteful,  Starlight,"  Hazel 
said  again.  "  I  meant  all  the  other  Whigs.  Do,  please,  come  in." 

"  Then  why  did  you  slam  the  door  in  this  Whig's  face,  I'd  like  to 
know,"  and  Starlight  was  so  gracious  as  to  advance  as  far  as  the 
broad,  old-fashioned  door-sill  ;  "  besides,  all  the  other  Whigs  are  not 
spiteful  and  cowardly.  Aunt  Frances  isn't,  and  — 

"  Starlight,"  interrupted  Hazel,  "  this  is  very  mean  of  you.  If 
you  knew  what  we'd  had  to  bear  to-night  you  wouldn't  blame  me 
for  anything.  I  was  very  angry,  I  know,  but  I  am  very  sorry,  and 
now — won't  you  please  come  in  ?" 

Certainly  this  was  as  much  as  the  most  aggrieved  of  indi 
viduals  could  desire,  and  Starlight  walked  in,  and  dignity  and  re 
sentment  and  everything  else  were  forgotten  as  Hazel  with  tearful 


164  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

eyes  told  him  of  the  evening's  experiences.  "  Yes,"  she  said  at  the 
close  of  her  narration,  "  I  saw  Mrs.  Potter  with  my  own  eyes  refuse 
to  shake  hands  with  mamma,  and  if  it  hadn't  been  lime  then  to 
come  home  I  do  not  know  what  I  ever  should  have  done." 

Starlight  drew  a  deep  sigh,  but  Hazel  had  grown  a  full  inch  in 
his  estimation.  It  was  real  plucky  in  her  to  have  kept  her  forlorn 
discovery  to  herself  all  the  way  home  ;  he  could  almost  understand 
now  how  she  had  slammed  the  door  when  she  reached  it.  But 
what  a  shame  it  was  that  a  family  like  the  Bonifaces  should  be 
so  shamefully  treated!  "Well,  it's  too  bad,  Hazel,  that's  all  I  can 
say,"  he  said  ;  "  but  I  suppose  we  may  as  well  go  to  bed.  It  must 
be  very  late." 

"  Why,  where  is  Flutters?"  asked  Hazel,  for  the  first  time  recall 
ing  his  existence. 

"  Here,"  answered  a  voice  from  the  top  of  the  hall  stairway  ;  "  I 
was  just  coming  down  to  see  if  I  could  not  make  Starlight  come 


in." 


I  don't  believe  anybody  could  have  made  him,"  said  Hazel ; 
"  the  Starlights  must  be  a  very  proud  family." 

"  So  must  the  Bonifaces,"  answered  Starlight,  with  the  shadow 
of  a  smile ;  "  but,  then,  I  like  proud  families." 

"  And  so  do  I,"  said  Hazel. 

A  few  moments  afterward  the  little  trio  separated,  and  with  the 
thought  of"  Better  late  than  never,"  Starlight  crept  gratefully  into 
the  bed  of  the  little  hall  room,  whose  blankets  and  coverlid  had 
been  carefully  folded  back  for  him,  full  five  hours  before,  by  Dinah's 
kind  black  hands. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


A    SAD    LITTLE    CHAPTER. 


OT  a  bright  outlook  certainly, 
but  then,  you  see,  it  is  to 
be  only  a  little  chapter. 

Some  people  think  that 
children's  books  ought  to  be 
cheery  and  bright  from  cover 
to  cover,  and  so  they  ought 
—that  is,  for  the  very  little 
children;  but  when  they  have 
gotten  beyond  the  days  of 
rhymes  and  jingles  and  col 
ored  pictures,  and  have  wit 
enough  and  appreciation 
enough  to  enjoy  a  chaptered 
story,  then  I,  for  one,  think 
the  stories  should  be  true  to 
life.  To  be  sure,  the  charm 
of  such  delightful  and  purely 
impossible  tales  as"  Alice  in 
Wonderland"  and  "  Water 
Babies"  lies  in  the  fact  that 
they  do  not  pretend  to  be 
true  to  anything  in  the  world 
save  the  enchanting -caprice 
of  the  people  who  write 
them;  but  when  one  comes  to  place  a  story  in  a  real  time,  and  put 
real  people  in  it,  then  it  is  bound  to  be  true  to  the  real  things. 

Then  one  certainly  does  not  need  to  be,  say,  more  than  seven 


166  A    LOYAL    LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

years  old  to  get  at  least  an  inkling  of  the  truth,  that  the  real  things 
of  life  are  not  always  bright  things.  But  there  is  no  use  of  dwelling 
at  too  great  length  upon  these  same  sorrowful  experiences,  and  so 
for  that  reason  we  are  going  to  try  to  make  this  a  short  chapter. 
And  now,  to  tell  you  right  away  what  the  sad  thing  was,  for  fear 
your  lively  imagination  should  be  conjuring  up  something  yet  more 
sad  than  the  reality,  though  the  reality  was  sad  enough,  since  it  was 
nothing  more  nor  less  than  that,  when  Captain  Hugh  Boniface 
woke  on  the  morning  after  the  Assembly,  he  found  that  he  could 
move  neither  hand  nor  foot.  The  eager  mind  worked  as  actively 
as  ever,  but  not  a  muscle  would  respond  to  the  great,  strong  will, 
and  the  Captain  knew — knew  beyond  all  hoping — that  he  was  com 
pletely  paralyzed,  and  that  in  all  probability,  as  far  as  ever  rendering 
any  real  service  to  that  blessed  little  family  of  his  was  concerned,  he 
had  better,  from  that  time,  be  out  of  the  world  than  in  it. 

It  is  needless  to  tell  you  very  particularly  with  what  foreboding 
the  alarming  news  spread  through  the  little  household,  nor  how 
breathlessly  they  all  waited  for  old  Dr.  Melville's  verdict  as  he 
came  from  the  Captain's  room  a  few  hours  later.  Nor  of  how,  in 
spite  of  his  encouraging  words,  that  bade  them  be  hopeful,  they  read 
that  in  his  kind  old  eyes  which  plainly  told  them  that  he  felt  there 
was  little  enough  to  ground  any  real  hope  upon. 

"Yes,"  said  Dr.  Melville,  gravely,  as  Mrs.  Boniface  followed 
him  to  the  door,  at  the  close  of  one  of  his  professional  visits,  "  I 
feared  something  of  this  sort  might  be  in  store  for  the  Captain.  He 
has  been  into  my  office  several  times  complaining  of  certain 
wretched  benumbing  feelings  that  we  doctors  dread  to  hear  ac 
knowledged.  But  it's  not  strange,  Mrs.  Boniface,  not  strange  at  all; 
he's  been  through  enough  to  break  down  the  strongest  constitution. 
There  was  a  sight  of  mischief  already  done  when  they  brought  him 
home  from  Lexington  in  '75,  and  then  all  these  years  of  worry  and 
excitement  have  not  helped  matters." 

"  But,  doctor,"  said  Mrs.  Boniface,  nerving  herself  to  ask  the 
question,  "do  you  think  he  will  never  be  any  better?" 

"  I  doubt  if  he  ever  walks  again,  Mrs.  Boniface." 

"  Do  you  mean,  Dr.  Melville,  that  it  is  your  opinion  that  he 
never  will  walk  again.  You  must  be  very  frank  with  me,  else  I 
cannot  tell  how  to  plan  for  the  future." 


A    SAD   LITTLE   CHAPTER.  167 

"Well,  then,  since  you  are  a  brave  woman,  and  I  know  you  mean 
what  you  say,  I  will  give  you  my  honest  opinion,  which  is  this:  that 
your  good  Captain  will  probably,  at  least  in  a  degree,  regain  the  use 
of  his  hands  and  arms,  but  never,  I  fear,  of  his  lower  limbs." 

It  was  not  easy  for  Mrs.  Boniface  to  hear  her  fears  put  thus 
plainly  into  words,  but  it  was  best,  she  felt  sure,  that  she  should 
know  the  worst. 

Meantime  the  days  dragged  wearily  along  for  Captain  Boniface, 
and  yet  brought  with  them  one  glorious  revelation.  Never  before 
had  he  known  quite  so  fully  what  an  all-powerful  love  there  was  in 
his  heart  for  that  dear  wife  of  his.  It  was  a  privilege  simply  to  be 
able  to  watch  her  as  she  moved  so  quietly  about  the  room,  and  to 
listen  to  the  sweet  familiar  voice;  and  was  it  not  abundant  cause  for 
thankfulness  that  he  was  still  in  the  same  world  with  her,  though 
no  longer  able  to  move  about  in  it  ?  But  what  were  they  going  to 
do?  That,  of  course,  was  the  thought  that  gave  him  greatest  anxiety. 
The  sum  of  money  in  the  bank  had  been  growing  more  and  more  slen 
der  with  every  year  of  diminished  income,  until  now  there  was  scarce 
enough  left  to  tide  them  over  more  than  another  twelve  months, 
and  then  only  with  the  strictest  economy.  But  the  good  Captain 
did  not  have  to  meet  this  dread  question  alone,  and  in  the  twilight 
of  a  November  afternoon  he  had  talked  it  all  over  with  his  wife, 
and  as  the  result  of  that  long,  quiet  talk  they  had  decided  that  Mrs. 
Boniface  should  write  for  aid  to  her  father,  a  clergyman,  living  alone 
in  a  little  ivy-grown  rectory  in  the  South  of  England.  But  it  was 
not  easy  to  come  to  this  decision.  They  hesitated  to  intrude  their 
heavy  anxieties  upon  the  good  old  man,  whose  own  income  was  by 
no  means  ample.  But  there  was  simply  no  one  else  to  whom  they 
could  turn,  and  they  knew  he  would  gladly  give  them  any  help 
within  his  power. 

"  And  now,  Hugh,  there  is  nothing  for  us  to  do  but  to  wait  till 
the  answer  to  my  letter  comes,  and  do  let  us  try  not  to  worry,"  said 
Mrs.  Boniface  when  the  long  talk  was  over,  and  they  did  try,  and 
they  succeeded,  and  right  in  the  face  of  the  heaviest  trial  they  had 
ever  known  there  was  peace  and  even  an  added  sweetness  in  the 
Boniface  home  life.  The  new  trouble  knit  all  hearts  closer  together; 
they  realized  more  keenly  than  ever  before  how  much  it  was  just  to 
have  each  other,  and  they  cared  far  less  than  such  a  little  while  ago 


168  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

they  would  have  thought  possible  for  the  insults  of  people  who,  after 
all,  had  been  friends  only  in  name.  But  half  the  secret  of  the  bra 
very  of  the  little  household  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  Captain  himself 
was  so  brave  ;  but  often,  of  course,  his  courage  was  strongly  tested  ; 
seldom  more  strongly  than  when  little  Kate  would  come  running 
to  the  side  of  his  bed,  and  he  felt  himself  powerless  to  lift  her  to  a 
seat  beside  him  or  to  romp  with  her  as  he  used  to  love  to  do. 

One  afternoon,  when  he  was  alone  in  the  room,  he  heard  the  pat 
ter  of  her  little  feet  on  the  stairway.  He  could  count  each  step,  for, 
after  the  necessarily  slow  fashion  of  very  little  walkers,  she  had  need 
to  plant  both  feet  on  one  step  before  attempting  another.  But  at 
last  the  patient  little  climber  was  where  she  wanted  to  be,  and  said, 
without  stopping  to  think,  "  Lift  me  up,  papa,  please." 

"  Ah  !  Kate,  you  always  forget  papa  can't  do  that,"  and  the  Cap 
tain's  eyes  grew  misty. 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  did  fordet,"  Kate  answered,  with  a  world  of  regret  in 
her  tone;  and  then  she  laid  her  chubby  head  on  her  father's  arm  and 
tenderly  stroked  the  great  brown  hand  as  though  she  loved  him 
more  than  ever  now,  and  for  the  very  reason  that  he  was  so  help 
less. 

"  Kate,"  said  her  father,  when  he  felt  sure  that  he  could  speak  and 
yet  keep  his  voice  steady,  "you  are  such  a  darling,  Kate." 

"  Mamma  said  that  a  little  while  ago,"  answered  her  little  ladyship 
calmly,  "and  Josephine  said  it  yesterday  twice,  and  then  Hazel  said 
something  like  it  too.  1  dess  I  was  never  quite  so  nice  as  lately." 

"  I  guess  you  were  never  quite  such  a  comfort,"  smiled  the  Cap 
tain.  "  But  then  you  must  not  grow  too  set  up  about  it." 

Kate  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  this  last  remark  ;  she  had  de 
cided  on  a  little  plan,  and  was  putting  it  into  execution.  She  pushed 
a  chair  to  the  side  of  the  bed  and  mounted,  by  aid  of  its  round,  to  its 
seat ;  from  there  it  was  an  easy  climb  to  the  bed ;  and  then,  shoving 
the  chair  away  with  a  push  of  her  little  foot,  she  turned  to  her  father 
with  a  sigh  of  honest  satisfaction,  such  as  no  mere  "  lifting  up" 
could  possibly  have  occasioned. 

Evidently  she  had  come  to  stay,  the  blessed  little  sunbeam,  and 
straightway  the  Captain  began  to  rack  his  brain  for  the  story  that  he 
knew  well  enough  in  a  moment  would  be  asked  for,  and  for  the 
sort  that  would  be  likely  to  keep  her  attention  longest.  No  one 


"SHE    PUSHED   A   CHAIR   TO    THE    SIDE    OF   THE    BED.' 


iyo  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

could  tell  so  good  a  story  as  the  Captain,  and  no  one  could  tell  it  as 
well— at  least,  that  was  the  verdict  of  Starlight  and  Flutters,  of  Hazel 
and  the  Marberrys,  and  a  few  other  little  folk  who  now  and  then 
had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him.     Little    Kate  was   delighted  with 
the  fact  that  she  was  to  be  favored  with  "  the  first  story  since  papa 
fell  ill,"  and,  I  fear,  took  a  little  selfish  delight  in  the  fact  that  she  was 
the  only  listener.     As  for  the  story,  it  proved  a  fine  one,  with  some 
very  queer  little   people   in    it,  who  did  most  outlandish  things,  and 
Kate   sat   entranced  till  it  was  finished,  and  then,  laying  her  head 
down  on  her  father's  shoulder,  "just  to  think  it  over,"  fell  fast  asleep 
instead,  and  did  not   waken,  even   when  the   Captain,  hearing  Jo 
sephine's  step  in  the  hall,  called  her  in  to  throw  something  over  her. 
And  then,  after  a  while,  what  with  Kate's  regular  breathing  as  she 
lay  on  his  helpless  arm,  and  what  with  the  light  in  the  room  grow 
ing  dim  and  yet  more  dim  as  the  glow  faded  out  of  the  sunset,  the 
Captain  fell  asleep  too,  and  all  was  so   tranquil  and  peaceful  that  it 
seems  almost  as  though  we  had  made  a  mistake  in  calling  this  "  A 
Sad  Little  Chapter." 


CHAPTER   XX. 


FLUTTERS    COMES    TO    A    DECISION. 


LUTTERS  had  something  on  his  mind, 
and  this  in  addition  to  all   the 
cares  and  anxieties  of  the  Bon 
ifaces,  which  he  took  upon  him 
self  every  whit  as  fully  as  though 
he     actually    belonged    to    the 
family.     But  the   something  in 
question  was  a  little  private 
affair    of   his   own,  an  affair, 
however,  that   insisted  upon 
filling   most    of    his    waking 
thoughts,    and    finally,    after 
looking  at  it  in  every  possi 
ble  light,  he  arrived  at  a  deci 
sion. 

When  a  person  has  been 
thinking  about  a  matter  and 
turning  it  over  and  over  in 
his  mind,  a  decision  is  a  glo 
rious  thing  to  come  to.  It  is 
such  a  relief,  after  standing 
helpless  in  a  perfect  maze  of 
doubt  and  hesitation,  to  find  a  straight  path  opening  up  before  you. 
At  any  rate,  Flutters's  sensations  were  quite  of  that  order,  as  late 
one  afternoon  he  went  to  Mrs.  Boniface  and  asked  if  she  could 
spare  him  to  go  into  town  for  a  few  hours. 

"  Certainly,  Flutters,  if  it  is  necessary ;"  for  it  was  the  first  time 


I?2  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED- CO  AT. 

Flutters  had  made  a  request  like  that,  and  she  wondered  what  the 
little  fellow  was  up  to. 

Flutters  seemed  to  read  her  thoughts  and  answered,  "  It  is  nec 
essary,  Mrs.  Boniface,  but  I  would  rather  not  tell  you  what  I  want 
to  go  for,  if  you  are  willing  to  trust  me." 

11  Certainly,  I'll  trust  you,  Flutters,"  was  the  answer  that  made 
his  heart  glad  ;  for  it  is  such  a  fine  thing  to  be  thoroughly  trusted, 
and  the  haste  with  which  he  donned  his  coat  and  hurried  from 
the  house  showed  that,  at  least  in  his  estimation,  the  something  to 
be  done  was  as  important  as  necessary. 

Along  the  frosty  road,  in  the  November  twilight,  the  little 
fellow  trudged  at  a  brisk  pace,  now  and  then  breaking  into  a  full 
run,  as  though  in  his  eagerness  he  could  not  brook  the  delay  of 
sober  walking.  White,  fleecy  clouds  were  scudding  across  the  sky, 
as  though  making  way  for  the  moon  which  shone  out  whenever 
they  would  let  her,  and  whose  silvery  beams  were  following  so  closely 
in  the  wake  of  the  daylight  as  to  create  one  earth  night  in  which,  as 
in  Heaven  above,  there  was  to  be  no  darkness  at  all. 

But  Flutters,  like  many  another  preoccupied  fellow-mortal,  saw 
naught  of  its  beauty,  only  noting  his  surroundings  sufficiently  to 
take  the  straightest  road  to  his  destination. 

Finally,  he  brought  up  at  the  barracks  of  Company  F  at 
Fort  George,  which  company,  as  you  remember,  we  learned  from 
Mrs.  Rainsford,  was  no  longer  quartered  at  the  A  very  homestead. 

"  Is  Sergeant  Bellows  here  ?"  Flutters  asked,  breathlessly,  of  one 
of  the  first  men  he  met. 

"  He  be,"  answered  the  man,  with  provoking  slowness,  "but  1 
doubt  if  he'll  see  ye  the  night,  he  turned  in  early  with  a  headache." 

Flutters  looked  crestfallen.  "You  sail  for  England  day  after 
to-morrow,  don't  you  ?" 

"  We  do  that,"  answered  the  man,  "  and  it's  with  pleasure  wel 
be  after  shaking  the  dust  of  the  place  off  us." 

"  But  I  must  see  Sergeant  Bellows  before  he  goes,"  said  Flut 
ters,  pathetically.  "  Do  you  think  he'd  mind  if  I  disturbed  him  just 
for  a  minute  ?" 

"  Maybe  not"  said  the  man,  "the  Sergeant's  that  good-natured. 
You'll  find  him  in  bunk  No.  6,  in  the  front  room  above-stairs." 

So    Flutters   climbed   the  stairs  and  entered   the  great  cheerless 


FLUTTERS   COMES    TO   A    DECISION.  173 

room,  with  its  row  of  uncomfortable-looking  bunks  lining  the  wall. 
A  candle  was  burning  in  a  tin  candlestick  at  one  end  of  the  room. 
Flutters  went  on  tip-toe  and  brought  it  so  as  to  inspect  the  numbers 
of  the  bunks,  and  make  no  mistake,  for  he  could  see  that  two  or 
three  other  men  had  also  "  turned  in" 


WHO'S  THERE?'    ASKED    SERGEANT    BELLOWS." 


No.  6  was  half-way  down  the  room.  "  Sergeant  Bellows,"  said 
Flutters,  in  a  penetrating  whisper,  screening  the  candle  flame  with 
his  hand,  so  that  it  should  not  shine  in  the  Sergeant's  face. 

"  Who's  there  ?"  asked  Sergeant  Bellows,  raising  himself  on  one 
elbow  and  bewildered  at  the  sight  of  his  unexpected  visitor. 

"  It's  only  me,   Flutters,  and   I   hope  your   headache  isn't   very 


I74  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

bad,  'cause  I  wouldn't  have  disturbed  you  for  the  world,  only  I 
almost  had  to." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right,"  said  the  Sergeant,  kindly,  "  but  it'll  take  me 
a  moment  to  get  my  wits  to  working,  although  I  wasn't  rightly 
asleep  either.  Here,  set  the  candle  on  the  shelf,  and  run  get  that 
stool  yonder  for  yourself." 

Flutters  felt  relieved  thus  to  have  the  Sergeant  take  in  the  situ 
ation  at  a  glance,  and  realize  that  he  had  come  with  a  purpose. 

"  I  was  coming  up  to  Kings  Bridge  to-morrow  to  say  good-bye," 
the  Sergeant  said,  rather  sadly,  when  Flutters  had  seated  himself  be 
side  the  bed.  "  How  are  they  up  there  ?" 

"  Why,  they're  not  well  at  all — that  is,  you  know,  don't  you, 
about  the  Captain's  being  paralyzed  all  over  ?" 

"  No,  by  gracious !  paralyzed  !  Do  you  mean  he  can't  move 
hand  nor  foot?" 

Flutters  sorrowfully  shook  his  head  yes,  as  though  words  failed 
him. 

"  You  don't  mean  it,"  said  the  Sergeant,  sorrowfully  ;  "  but  tell 
me  all  about  it,"  and  then  Flutters  told  him  everything  about  the 
Bonifaces  that  he  thought  could  by  any  possibility  be  of  any  inter 
est  to  him,  till  at  last  he  felt  justified  in  introducing  his  own  little 
matter. 

"  But  what  I  came  to  see  about  was  this— 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure,"  said  the  Sergeant.  "  I  had  almost  forgotten 
to  wonder  what  brought  you  here." 

"  Well,"  said  Flutters,  solemnly,  "  I  have  a  great  favor  to  ask 
of  you,  Sergeant." 

"  You're  not  giving  me  much  time  to  do  it,  then,"  said  the  Ser 
geant,  "seeing  as  every  British  soldier  quits  the  city  day  after 
to-morrow." 

"  That's  the  reason  I  came,"  answered  Flutters,  excitedly,  "  it's 
in  England  that  I  want  the  favor  done." 

"  Why,  what  have  you  to  do  with  England,  I'd  like  to  know?" 
with  evident  astonishment. 

"Why,  England  was  my  home,"  Flutters  answered,  rather 
proudly ;  "  don't  you  know  I  belonged  to  an  English  circus  ?" 

"  Why,  so  you  did  ;  I'd  forgotten  about  that."  And  then  there 
was  a  little  pause,  while  the  Sergeant  waited  for  further  develop- 


FLUTTERS   COMES    TO   A    DECISION.  175 

ments,  and  while  Flutters  was  meditating  how  he  had  best  put  his 
case. 

"  I  once  heard  you  say,  Sergeant,  that  your  old  home  was  some 
where  in  Cheshire,  and  that's  where  my  father  lives.  His  name  is 
Wainright." 

"Then  your  name  is  Wainright,  too,"  said  the  Sergeant;  "Flut 
ters  Wainright,  eh  ?" 

"No,  Arthur  Wainright's  my  name.  Flutters  is  a  name  they 
gave  me  in  the  circus,  because  I  used  to  be  so  scared  when  I  first 
began  to  have  a  hand  in  the  tumbling." 

"  But  look  here,"  said  the  Sergeant,  in  rather  gruff,  soldier-like 
fashion,  "  if  you've  a  father  and  he's  living,  why  aren't  you  living 
with  him  'stead  of  being  away  over  here  among  strangers?  Ye're 
not  a  runaway,  are  ye,  Flutters  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  am,"  said  Flutters,  scanning  the  Sergeant's  face  closely 
to  watch  the  effect  of  his  confession.  "  I  had  to  do  it,  Sergeant.  I 
was  in  the  way  at  home.  My  mother  was  a  colored  lady,  but  she 
died  in  India,  and  then  my  father  took  me  to  England  and  married 
a  white  lady,  and  there  were  some  white  children  and  I  wasn't  wanted. 
They  used  to  say  I  was  such  a  queer,  dark  little  thing." 

"  Blest  if  I  blame  you,  then!"  said  the  Sergeant,  whose  heart  was 
touched  ;  "  but  does  your  father  know  you're  in  good,  kind  hands. 
I  suppose  he  cared  more  for  you  than  the  rest  of  'em  did  ?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Flutters,  "  and  so  I  felt  I  ought  to  let  him  know, 
and  I  thought  perhaps  if  you  didn't  mind,  you'd  hunt  him  up 
when  you  get  over  there,  and  tell  him  'bout  me,  and  how  happy  I 
am,  and  that  I  send  my  love." 

"  But  then  he  might  be  sending  for  you  to  come  back.  Have 
you  thought  of  that,  Flutters  ?" 

"  Yes,  I've  thought  of  it,  but  it  isn't  likely,  Sergeant.  He  knows 
I'm  not  wanted  there ;  but  anyhow,  it  seems  to  me  I  ought  to  let 
him  know  now  that  I'm  so  well  cared  for." 

"  That's  so,"  said  the  Sergeant,  pausing  a  moment  to  give  the 
matter  due  consideration.  "  I  think  you're  right  about  it,  and  I'll 
hunt  your  father  up  just  as  soon  as  I  can  get  my  furlough  and  run 
down  to  see  my  relatives  in  Cheshire." 

"  Here's  my  father's  name  and  address,"  said  Flutters,  taking  a 
slip  of  paper  from  his  pocket,  "and  when  you  write  to  me  just 


1 76  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

direct  '  Flutters/  care  of  Captain  Boniface.  I  don't  want  them  to 
know  about  me  up  there.  I  just  want  them  to  think  of  me  as  an 
ordinary  little  darkey,  and  not  above  any  sort  of  work." 

"That's  very  good  of  you,"  replied  Sergeant  Bellows,  tucking 
the  precious  little  paper  under  his  blue  gingham-covered  pillow ; 
I'  not  every  boy  would  be  so  considerate  as  to  think  of  that,  but  then 
it's  a  mighty  nice  berth  for  you,  too.  I'd  give  a  good  deal  myself  to 
live  with  the  Bonifaces." 

"  But  you  are  glad  to  go  home,  aren't  you  ?"  Flutters  asked, 
with  some  surprise. 

"No  doubt  1^  shall  be  glad  to  see  old  England  again,  but  once 
I've  seen  it  that's  all  I  care  for.  It's  different  with  most  of  the 
men.  Some  of  them  can  hardly  speak  for  joy  at  the  thought,  and 
that  makes  some  of  the  rest  of  us  who  haven't  any  homes  to  go  to 
very  wretched  with — well  I  guess  you'll  have  to  call  it  not-any- 
home-sickness.  It's  half  what  is  the  matter  with  me  to-day  ;  and 
Andy  there  in  the  next  bunk,  who  lost  a  wife  and  baby  years  ago  in 
England,  he'd  a  sight  rather  keep  his  back,  turned  on  everything 
that  belongs  to  it.  But  there's  no  help  for  it.  A  soldier  had  best 
not  have  any  will  of  his  own,  nor  any  preferences  either,  if  he  knows 
what's  good  for  him." 

Flutters  did  not  know  what  reply  to  make  to  all  this,  though 
feeling  very  sorry  for  the  old  Sergeant,  and  so  he  began  to  button 
his  coat  together,  and  said  :  "  I  guess  I'd  better  go  now.  I  hope  I 
haven't  made  your  headache  any  worse,  Sergeant?" 

"  Never  you  fear.  It's  done  me  good  to  talk  with  you,  Flutters. 
It  was  more  of  a  heartache  than  a  headache,  you  know.  I  had  one 
of  those  blue  streaks,  when  a  fellow  feels  he  isn't  of  any  use  in  the 
world ;  but  if  I  can  carry  a  message  from  you  to  your  father  'way 
across  the  great  ocean,  I  must  be  of  a  little  use  still,  so  I'll  turn  over 
and  go  to  sleep  as  a  sensible  old  codger  should,"  and,  suiting  the 
action  to  the  word,  Sergeant  Bellows  rather  unceremoniously 
"  turned  over"  and  pulled  the  gray  army  blanket  half  over  his  head. 

"  Good-night,  then,"  said  Flutters,  rising  and  taking  the  candle 
from  the  shelf. 

"Good-night,"  yawned  the  Sergeant,  as  though  already  half 
asleep.  "  I'll  be  up  to  the  Captain's  in  the  morning." 

Flutters  set  the  lighted  candle  back  where  he  had  found  it,  and 


FLUTTERS  COMES    TO  A   DECISION.  177 

then  made  his  way  out  as  quietly  as  possible,  and  the  moonbeams 
and  the  quiet  once  more  had  the  room  to  themselves ;  and,  unless 
thoughts  were  too  active  or  hearts  too  heavy,  there  was  no  reason 
why  Andy  and  the  Sergeant  should  not  have  dropped  off  into  the 
soundest  of  naps,  at  any  rate,  until  the  rest  of  the  men  should  turn 
in  an  hour  or  two  later,  when  there  would,  no  doubt,  be  noise 
enough  to  wake  the  best  of  sleepers. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


SOME    OLD    FRIENDS    COME    TO    LIGHT. 

T  was  a  comfort  to  have  that  matter 
off  his  mind,  and,  whatever 
might  come  of  it,  he  had  done 
the  right  thing.  Such  were 
Flutters's  thoughts,  as  with 
hands  plunged  deep  in  his  over 
coat  pockets,  he  started  for 
home.  To  be  sure,  there  was 
no  knowing  what  might  hap 
pen.  What  if  his  father  should 
write  to  Captain  Boniface  and 
tell  him  that  he  (Flutters)  was 
a  naughty  little  runaway,  and 
advise  him  to  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  him?  or  sup 
pose  he  should  direct  to  have 
him  sent  right  back  to  Eng 
land,  what  would  he  do  ?  Why, 
then,  he  thought  he'd  simply 
run  away  again,  only  that  would 

not  be  an  easy  thing  to  do  after  having  been  treated  so  kindly 
by  the  Bonifaces.  But,  as  he  had  himself  told  the  Sergeant, 
it  was  not  at  all  probable  that  this  would  happen  ;  and  so,  like 
the  logical  little  philosopher  he  was,  he  decided  to  think  no 
more  about  it,  and,  if  taking  the  advice  of  the  old  hymn,  he 
"gave  to  the  winds  his  fears,"  it  was  no  time  at  all  before  they 
were  blown  far  behind  him.  During  the  half  hour  that  he  had 
spent  with  the  Sergeant,  a  cold  northwest  blow  had  set  in,  making 


' 


SOME   OLD   FRIENDS   COME    TO   LIGHT.  179 

it  far  more  comfortable  for  him  to  bend  his  head  downward  as  he 
ran,  and  not  take  the  wind  full  in  his  face.  And  this  same  north 
west  wind  was  playing  all  sorts  of  pranks  with  every  pliable  thing 
it  could  get  hold  of.  The  bare  branches  of  the  trees  were  swaying 
and  crackling,  withered  leaves  were  swirling  round  in  eddies  and 
rustling  loudly,  gates  were  creaking  on  their  rusty  hinges,  and,  just 
as  Flutters  had  reached  a  point  in  the  road  where  an  old  hut  stood, 
the  blustering  wind  caught  the  only  shutter  remaining  at  one ^of  its 
windows,  and  slammed  it  to  with  a  bang  that  fairly  made  him  jump. 
Looking  toward  the  hut  that  had  been  deserted  for  years, ^  Flut 
ters  saw  a  faint  light  shining  out  through  the  half  of  the  window 
that  was  not  screened  by  the  closed  shutter. 

"That's  queer,"  he  thought;  "who  can  be  living  there?"  and 
then,  instead  of  running  on  without  giving  the  matter  another 
thought — as  some  boys,  I  think,  would  have  done — he  walked 
softly  in  at  the  gateway  that  had  long  lacked  a  gate,  straight 
up  to  the  window  and  peeped  in  ;  nor  was  it  mere  curiosity  that 
prompted  him  to  do  it  either.  Flutters  knew  that  no  one,  under 
ordinary  circumstances,  would  be  there;  nothing  short  of  utter 
homelessness  would  make  anybody  seek  shelter  in  that  wretched 
place,  and  so  he  felt  the  matter  ought  to  be  investigated,  and  he 
was  not  afraid  to  be  the  one  to  do  it.  And  what  do  you  suppose 
he  saw  through  the  broken  pane?  Something  that  would  have 
made  the  tears  come  into  almost  anybody's  eyes,  but  something 
that  made  Flutters's  heart  fairly  stand  still. 

The  only  furniture  of  the  room  was  a  three-legged  stool  on 
which  a  bit  of  candle  was  spluttering,  fastened  to  the  stool  by  the 
melting  of  its  own  tallow,  and  there  beside  it,  on  a  bundle  of  straw, 
lay  an  old  man  ;  and  it  took  but  one  glance  from  Flutters's  aston 
ished  eyes  to  see  that  the  man  was  Bobbin,  the  old  circus  drudge. 
In  another  second  he  had  pushed  the  door  open  and  was  kneeling 
at  his  friend's  side,  and  stroking  his  cold,  wrinkled  hand. 

"Why,  who  is  it?"  asked  Bobbin,  in  a  cracked,  weak  voice;  "  I 
can't  rightly  see,  somehow,  but  it's  good  to  know  some  one  has  come." 

"Why,  it's  me,  Bobbin,  don't  you  know  me?"  said  Flutters, 
scarcely  able  to  speak  with  emotion. 

A  bright  smile  lighted  up  the  old  man's  face.  Ah!  I  thought 
He'd  send  somebody.  He  did  send  you,  didn't  He?" 


i8o  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

"No,  nobody  sent  me,  Bobbin.  I  was  just  going  by,  and  I  saw 
the  light,  and  I  peeped  in  and  then  I  saw  you." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head,  as  much  as  to  say  that  he  believed 
that  the  good  Father  had  sent  him,  nevertheless. 

"I'm  glad  you  were  the  one  to  come,"  he  said,  presently; 
"there's  nobody  I'd  rather  have  had  than  you,  Flutters.  You  were 
always  a  kind  little  chap  to  old  Bobbin." 

Flutters  did  not  say  anything — he  couldn't.  He  just  pressed 
the  wrinkled  hand  a  little  harder  as  it  lay  in  his. 

"  You  see,  Flutters,"  said  Bobbin,  presently,  "  I  think  I  am 
going  home  to-night,  and  it  was  kind  of  lonely  not  to  have 
somebody  to  care  for  me.  Not  that  I  mind  going.  I'm  not  a 
bit  afraid,  Flutters.  I  have  done  the  best  I  could  with  the  poor 
chance  I  had,  and  God  will  forgive  the  rest;  don't  you  think  so, 
Flutters?" 

Flutters  nodded  his  head,  and  then  he  said  in  a  moment,  when 
he  thought  he  could  control  his  voice  :  "  But,  Bobbin,  I  do  not 
believe  you  are  going  to  die.  You  need  food  and  fire  and  clothes 
to  warm  you,  and  I  am  going  right  off  to  get  them  for  you." 

"  Oh,  no,  please  don't,"  pleaded  the  old  man,  putting  what  little 
strength  he  had  into  his  hold  on  Flutters 's  hand.  "  I  don't  want 
food  nor  anything.  I  just  want  to  go,  and  it  won't  be  long. 
Promise  me  you'll  stay  till  morning,  Flutters." 

There  was  no  gainsaying  the  entreaty  in  Bobbin's  voice,  and  so 
Flutters  said:  "I  promise  you,  Bobbin;"  and,  with  a  gratified  sigh 
the  old  man  turned  on  his  side  and  soon  fell  asleep.  After  a  while, 
when  Flutters  dared  to  move  a  little,  he  piled  the  loose  straw  that 
lay  about  him  as  closely  as  possible  over  Bobbin,  and  finally  de 
cided  to  dispense  with  his  own  warm  coat,  for  the  sake  of  stuffing 
it  in  the  hole  of  the  little  paneless  window  through  which  the  wind 
was  keenly  blowing. 

Then,  after  another  hour  of  motionless  watching,  during  which 
Bobbin  still  lay  sleeping  as  quietly  as  a  child,  it  occurred  to  Flut 
ters  to  try  and  make  a  fire  in  the  blackened  fireplace.  Some  old 
bits  of  board  were  lying  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  and,  piling 
them  on  the  hearth,  he  easily  succeeded  in  kindling  them  with  a 
bundle  of  straw  lighted  at  the  candle.  At  first  he  was  afraid  that 
the  crackling  of  the  wood  would  waken  the  old  man ;  but,  undis- 


SOME   OLD   FRIENDS   COME    TO   LIGHT, 


181 


turbed,  he  slept  quietly  on  as  though   his  mind  was  perfectly  at  rest, 
now  that  Flutters  had  come  to  care  for  him. 

"  I  do  not  believe  he  is  going  to  die,"  thought  Flutters,  after  he 
had  again  sat  motionless  for  a  long  time,  and  then  he  crept  close 
on  hands  and  knees  to  look  into  his  face,  and  to  listen  if  he  was 
breathing  quite  regularly ;  and  there,  bending  over  him,  what  did  he 


"  THERE  WAS  HIS  OWN  NAME  ON  THE  FLY-LEAF,  IN  HIS  MOTHER  s  WRITING. 


see  but  something  that  made  his  heart  bound  for  joy,  though  it 
was  nothing  but  the  corner  of  a  little  book  showing  itself  above 
the  ragged  edge  of  one  of  Bobbin's  pockets.  And  no  wonder  he 
was  glad,  for  he  knew  in  a  moment  that  it  was  his  own  little 
Prayer-Book. 

At  first  he  thought  he  ought  not  to  touch  it  for  fear  of  waking 


1 82  A    LOYAL    LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

Bobbin,  but  how  could  he  help  it,  and  so,  as  gently  as  possible,  he 
drew  it  out  from  its  hiding-place,  and  ciept  back  to  the  candle.  I 
suppose  we  can  hardly  imagine  what  the  finding  of  this  old  friend 
meant  to  Flutters.  There  was  his  own  name  on  the  fly-leaf,  in  his 
mother's  writing,  together  with  the  date  of  his  birth.  Here  was  the 
proof,  if  he  ever  cared  to  use  it,  that  he  had  once  known  a  mother's 
love,  and  that  was  a  deal  more  than  some  of  the  world's  waifs  could 
lay  claim  to,  and  besides,  he  loved  the  book  for  its  own  sake,  for 
the  beautiful  words  and  thoughts  that  were  in  it.  And  to  think  Bob 
bin  had  kept  it  safe  for  him  all  these  weeks ;  Flutters  began  to  think 
that  perhaps  the  Lord  had  sent  him  to  Bobbin  after  all.  And  so  he 
fell  to  wondering,  as  many  an  older  head  full  often  wonders,  as  to 
how  much  mere  chance  has  to  do  with  the  happenings  of  this  world, 
and  how  much  the  careful  guiding  of  a  Heavenly  Father;  but  that 
the  Father  above  has  a  great  deal  to  do  therewith  is  no  longer  a 
question  in  the  minds  of  many  of  us. 

Meantime  it  was  growing  very  late,  for  the  clock  on  the  town- 
hall  was  on  the  verge  of  striking  twelve,  and  the  moon  was  high 
over  head.  But  Bobbin  still  slept  on,  and  Flutters  dared  not 
leave  him.  What  would  Mrs.  Boniface  think,  and  how  disappointed 
she  would  be  to  find  that  he  was  not  to  be  trusted  ;  but  there  was 
his  promise  to  Bobbin,  and  he  could  not  go,  so  he  did  the  next  best 
thing,  he  lay  down  by  his  side  under  the  protection  of  the  friendly 
straw  and  himself  fell  asleep,  while  the  red-hot  embers  in  the  fire 
place  glowed  and  crackled  as  though  anxious  to  make  the  place  as 
comfortable  as  possible. 

Bobbin  did  not  die  that  night  ;  he  woke  with  the  first  ray  of 
sunlight  that  reached  the  hovel,  but  he  found  his  faithful  little 
watcher  awake  before  him.  Flutters  thought  he  looked  surprised, 
and  perhaps  a  little  disappointed,  to  find  his  eyes  opening  again  in 
this  world;  at  any  rate  he  sighed  a  little  wearily  as  he  seemed 
slowly  to  realize  where  he  was,  then  he  looked  up  to  Flutters's  face 
and  said,  with  a  grateful  smile,  "  I  knew  you  would  keep  your  prom 
ise.  I  knew  you  would  not  leave  me." 

"  But  you  will  let  me  go  now,  Bobbin,  won't  you  ?"  said  Flutters, 
with  a  world  of  entreaty  in  his  voice,  and  wondering  what  he  would 
do  if  Bobbin  still  proved  obdurate  ;  "  you  see  I  haven't  lived  so 
very  long  with  the  Bonifaces,  and  they'll  think  I've  run  away,  and  be 


SOME   OLD   FRIENDS   COME    TO   LIGHT.  183 

sorry  they  ever  trusted  me.  I'll  make  up  the  fire  before  I  go,  and 
I'll  be  back  soon  and  bring  you  something  to  eat  and  something 
perhaps  to  make  you  more  comfortable." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  old  man,  after  what  seemed  to  Flutters  a  long 
pause,  "  I'll  let  you  go,  but  not  for  long,  mind  that,  Flutters;  'cause 
now  that  I  can't  do  a  thing  for  myself,  1  believe  the  Lord  says, '  Flut 
ters,  you're  to  take  care  of  old  Bobbin  till  the  time  comes  for  me 
to  take  him  away  and  care  for  him  myself.'  " 

"  I  believe  so,  too,"  answered  Flutters,  pushing  the  thin,  gray 
hair  back  from  the  old  man's  forehead,  and  trying  to  make  him  look 
a  little  less  unkempt  and  neglected,  "  and  never  you  fear  but  I'll 
do  it,  Bobbin." 

Then  in  a  moment  Flutters  was  gone,  fairly  flying  home  along 
the  road,  and  when  he  reached  the  house  not  stopping  so  much  as 
to  say  good-morning  to  old  Dinah,  who  was  opening  the  kitchen  win 
dows,  and  started  back  as  though  she  had  seen  a  ghost ;  but  straight 
past  her,  and  straight  up  to  Captain  Boniface's  room.  Mrs.  Boniface 
slept  on  a  little  cot  in  the  corner  of  the  room  nearest  the  door,  and 
Flutters  thought,  and,  as  it  proved,  thought  rightly,  that  he  could 
give  a  gentle  knock,  and  waken  her  without  disturbing  the  Captain. 

"  Who  is  there  ?"  asked  a  sweet,  low  voice,  a  voice  whose  every 
intonation  Flutters  had  grown  to  love. 

"  It's  only  me — Flutters,"  came  the  ungrammatical  whisper,  "  but 
I  wanted  you  to  know  that  I'm  home  all  right.  Nothing  happened 
to  me,  but  I  came  across  an  old  friend  of  mine,  and  I  had  to  stop 
and  take  care  of  him." 

"  Wait  a  moment,  dear,"  Mrs.  Boniface  answered,  not  caring  in 
the  least  that  it  was  by  no  means  customary  to  address  little  mulatto 
servant-boys  in  that  familiar  fashion.  Like  dear  old  Janet,  in  Mc 
Donald's  beautiful  story,  Mrs.  Boniface  was  '*  one  of  Gods  mothers," 
with  a  mother-love  broad  enough  and  deep  enough  to  shelter  every 
little  creature  who,  like  Flutters,  needed  and  longed  for  the  protec 
tion  of  a  brooding  wing. 

Flutters  sat  down  on  the  wood-box  in  the  hall  and  waited,  and 
in  a  moment  Mrs.  Boniface  in  her  soft,  blue  wrapper,  was  seated  be 
side  him  and  he  was  outpouring  with  breathless  eagerness  the  night's 
experiences,  winding  up,  when  all  was  told,  with,  "  and  I  promised 
to  go  back  as  soon  as  ever  I  could." 


1 84  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

And  Flutters  did  go  back  as  soon  as  he  could,  and  Josephine 
and  Hazel  went  with  him  ;  and  food  and  clothing,  and  blankets  and 
towels  went  too,  and  a  dozen  other  things,  such  as  any  one  would 
know  would  add  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  a  sick  old  man  who  had 
lain  down,  as  he  thought,  to  die,  in  an  empty  and  wretched  dwelling. 
Later  in  the  day,  when  some  of  the  nearer  neighbors  had  heard 
Bobbin's  sad  story,  they  were  anxious,  too,  to  do  something  for  him, 
and  before  nightfall  you  would  hardly  have  known  the  poor  little 
shanty.  One  of  them  had  sent  a  cot,  and  Bobbin  had  been  lifted  on 
to  it ;  another,  two  or  three  chairs,  one  of  which  was  a  comfortable 
old  rocker,  and  a  third  a  table  and  some  necessary  cooking  utensils. 
Indeed,  Bobbin's  story,  as  he  narrated  it  to  the  little  group  gathered 
around  him  that  morning  after  Flutters  had  found  him,  was  sad 
enough  to  touch  anybody's  heart. 

"  I  kept  on  with  the 'troupe,"  he  told  them,  "till  we  got  almost 
to  Albany,  but  I  was  getting  weaker  almost  every  day,  and  I  missed 
Flutters  dreadfully.  I  never  knew  till  the  boy  was  gone  how  much 
hard  work  he  had  saved  me  in  one  way  and  another.  So  at  last, 
and  just  as  I  knowed  it  would  be,  the  manager  came  to  me  one  day 
and  said,  'We  ain't  got  no  use  for  you  any  more,  Bobbin.  Ye  can 
stay  behind  when  we  move  on  to-night.'  An'  I  just  looked  him 
the  eye  an'  said:  '  All  right,  sir;  but  I'm  wondering  if  you'll  not 
be  left  behind  when  the  Lord's  own  troupe  moves  on  to  the 
many  mansions.'  I  knowed  I  ought  not  to  have  spoke  like  that, 
but  there  isn't  a  harder  heart  in  the  world  than  his,  and  that's  the 
truth." 

11  And  what  did  you  do  then,  Bobbin  ?"  Josephine  asked,  as  she 
sat  beside  him  with  tears  of  indignation  standing  in  her  eyes. 

"  Why,  right  away  I  began  to  make  my  way  back  to  Flutters; 
somehow  I  knew  I  should  find  him,  only  when  I  crawled  into  this 
hut  last  night  after  three  weeks  of  being  on  the  road,  I  thought  it 
might  not  happen  in  this  world." 

And  so  it  came  about  that  Bobbin  was  made  perfectly  comfort 
able  in  the  old  shanty,  for  in  those  days  there  were  no  well-ordered 
Homes  and  Hospitals,  for  sick  and  homeless  people,  and  Flutters, 
greatly  to  his  heart's  delight,  was  established  as  attendant-in-chief  to 
his  old  friend. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

GOOD-BYE,    SIR    GUY. 

LEAR  and  cool  dawned  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  November,  and,  joy  to 
the  heart  of  every  Whig,  before 
nightfall  not  a  member  of  the 
King's  army  would  be  left  on 
American  soil.  Never,  I  ween, 
had  the  break  of  any  day  in  New 
York  found  so  large  a  number 
of  its  inhabitants  awake  to  greet 
it.  Too  excited  to  sleep,  with 
the  thought  of  going  home,  were 
scores  of  English  soldiers,  and 
too  excited  to  sleep,  at  the 
thought  that  they  were  soon  to  be  rid 
of  them,  was  well-nigh  every  loyal 
Whig  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  city.  So,  at  a  remarkably 
early  hour  there  was  an  unwonted  stir  every 
where,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  very 
horses  and  cattle  in  their  stalls  must  have 
divined  that  something  remarkable  was  in 
the  wind.  But  this  great  day  of  consum 
mation  had  not  arrived  without  weeks  and  months  of  active  prep 
aration. 

Affairs  in  New  York  had  been  sadly  mismanaged,  and  the 
arrival  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  in  the  spring  of  1782,  had  proved 
a  precious  boon,  alike  to  Whig  and  Tory,  and  during  the  seven 
teen  months  intervening  between  his  arrival  and  the  evacuation, 


186  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

of  the  city,  on  this  same  twenty-fifth  day  of  November,  1783, 
Sir  Guy  had  had  his  hands  full.  One  of  the  heaviest  labors 
he  had  had  to  perform  was  the  transporting  of  twelve  thousand 
Loyalists  from  all  parts  of  the  colonies,  to  Nova  Scotia,  the 
Bahamas  and  Great  Britain,  for  New  York  was  not  the  only  place 
where  the  offending  Tories  were  made  to  feel,  and  very  pointedly, 
too,  that  their  room  was  considered  vastly  better  than  their  company. 
But  finally  all  was  ready,  the  "  Royal  Order"  to  evacuate  had 
arrived  some  two  months  before,  and  as  soon  as  possible  Sir  Guy 
had  named  the  day  for  departure.  Now  at  last  the  day  itself  had 
come,  and  there  was  scarce  a  man,  woman  or  child  who  had  not 
planned  to  enter  in  some  way  into  its  festivities.  But  up  at  the 
Boniface's  there  was  a  strong  conflict  of  feeling  in  one  little  Tory 
breast.  » Hazel  was  naturally  in  a  "perfect  state,"  as  girls  say  nowa 
days.  It  was  most  improper  that  she,  an  indignant  little  Loyalist, 
should  be  a  witness  to  all  that  day's  jubilation,  andjy<?/  Starlight  and 
Flutters  and  the  Marberrys  were  going  over  to  Bowery  Lane  to  see 
the  American  troops  march  in  from  Harlem,  and  then  into  the  city  to 
see  the  English  troops  embark  from  Fort  George,  and  were  going 
to  make  a  fine  long  day  of  it,  and,  after  all,  what  good  would  it  do 
anybody  if  she  stayed  at  home?  So  it  happened  that  Hazel's  love 
of  military  bands  and  streamers  and  all  sorts  of  public  demonstra 
tion  got  the  better  even  of  her  Tory  principles,  and  after  much 
urging  on  the  part  of  the  Marberrys  (which  she  had  felt  from  the 
first  could  be  relied  upon),  she  yielded,  and  Mrs.  Boniface  prepared 
a  luncheon  for  five,  instead  of "  just  for  four,"  as  Hazel  had  that 
morning  directed.  But  none  of  the  little  party  setting  forth 
looked  forward  to  the  day's  pleasure  with  quite  so  keen  a  relish 
as  Flutters.  He  still  remained  quite  neutral,  not  finding  it  easy, 
owing  to  his  peculiar  circumstances,  to  side  either  with  Whig  or 
Tory.  So  it  did  not  matter  much  to  him  who  were  going  or  who 
were  coming,  the  one  dominant  thought  in  his  boyish  heart  simply 
being,  that  he  was  off  for  a  day's  fun,  of  which  he  had  not  had  a 
great  deal  lately.  For  the  last  week  he  had  been  in  constant  at 
tendance  on  old  Bobbin,  and  before  that  there  had  been  such  very 
sad  hearts  in  the  Boniface  household,  owing  to  the  Captain's  illness. 
But  for  to-day  Josephine  had  volunteered  to  care  for  Bobbin,  and 
Bobbin  himself  had  consented  to  spare  Flutters,  and  so,  free  in  every 


GOOD-BYE,    SIR    GUY.  187 

sense  to  give  himself  up  to  whatever  enjoyment  offered,  Flutters 
was  ready  for  "  a  lark."  And  in  just  this  very  sort  of  thing,  you 
boys  and  girls,  who  are  like  Flutters,  set  us  older  hoys  and  girls  an 
example,  for  boys  and  girls  we  are,  all  of  us,  in  a  way,  so  long 
as  we  keep  a  vestige  of  naturalness  about  us.  Real  sorrows 
may  weigh  down  a  child's  spirit,  and  real  trials  beset  him,  but,  give 
him  the  chance,  even  for  an  hour,  to  forget  the  sorrow  and  the  trial, 
and  he  forgets  it ;  and  when  God  puts  just  such  opportunities  into 
all  our  lives,  is  it  not  for  this  very  purpose  of  helping  us  to  forget 
for  a  while  ? 

Mrs.  Boniface  watched  the  five  little  friends  file  down  the  path 
way,  Flutters  bringing  up  the  rear  with  the  capacious  lunch-basket, 
and  was  thankful  that  there  were  pleasures,  even  in  such  unfavorable 
times,  which  children  might  enter  into ;  and  then,  perhaps  with 
thoughts  akin  to  those  we  have  been  writing,  about  forgetting 
trouble,  she  turned  with  a  bright  smile  to  the  Captain,  and  proposed 
that  they  should  try  and  have  a  happy  day  too,  unmindful  of  what 
was  going  on  down  in  the  city,  and  thankful  for  the  serenity  of  their 
home,  still  left  unmolested.  And  so  Dinah  was  directed  to  prepare 
a  favorite  dish  of  the  Captain's,  and  the  Captain's  favorite  books 
were  brought  out,  and  Mrs.  Boniface,  resolutely  putting  aside  every 
household  claim,  read  aloud  for  two  hours  at  a  sitting,  and  then 
little  Kate  came  in  for  a  romp  and  had  it,  and  at  one  o'clock  Dinah 
brought  in  luncheon  for  all  three  on  a  great  japanned  tray,  and  they 
had  a  very  cosey  time  eating  it  together.  Who  would  have  thought, 
to  have  looked  in  upon  them,  that  Evacuation  Day  was,  in  point  of 
fact,  a  very  sorry  day  for  the  Boniface's  ? 

Meantime  the  children  gained  the  Bowery  Road,  mounted  a 
rail  fence  in  a  row,  like  a  flock  of  sparrows,  and,  with  full  as  much 
chatter,  waited  for  the  coming  of  the  troops. 

It  seemed  strange  enough  to  everybody  to  think  that  the  entire 
British  Army,  which  had  been  scattered  broadcast  throughout  the 
vicinity  for  so  many  years,  was  now  congregated  down  in  the  city, 
and  that  before  many  hours  there  would  not  be  a  trace  of  it  left. 
Hazel  had  certain  apprehensions  that  it  was  going  to  seem  very 
lonely  without  them,  and  when  a  small  detachment  of  English 
soldiers  marched  past  (the  last  of  a  company  that  had  been 
quartered  at  Kings  Bridge)  and  cheerily  called  out,  "  Good-bye, 


1 88 


A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 


Whiggies,"  to  the  children,  as  they  sat  on  the  fence,  her  heart 
entirely  misgave  her.  Was  it  really  loyal  for  her  to  be  abroad  on  a 
day  of  such  rejoicing,  and  how  insulting  to  be  called  a  "  Whiggie," 
when  she  was  every  whit  as  strong  a  Tory  as  the  soldiers  them 
selves.  But  just  then  the  inspiring  strains  of  an  approaching 


I 


Jf 


"  GOOD-BYE,  WHIGGIES." 

band  reached  her,  and  the  misgivings  took  to  themselves  wings. 
Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  music,  and  soon  Starlight  recognized 
General  Knox  in  command  of  two  companies  of  American  soldiers. 
They  were  marching  into  the  city  in  compliance  with  a  request  of 
Sir  Guy  Carleton's,  so  as  to  be  on  hand  in  case  of  any  disorder 


GOOD-BYE,    SIR    GUY.  189 

among  the  Whigs  while  the  English  were  embarking.  Now  as 
soon  as  these  American  troops  should  have  gotten  out  of  the  way, 
the  Marberrys  had  planned  a  little  surprise  for  the  rest  of  the  party, 
which  they  knew  would  prove  a  great  addition  to  the  day's  pleasure. 
So,  just  as  the  children  had  begun  to  scramble  down  from  the  fence, 
with  the  intention  of  getting  into  the  city  as  best  they  could,  up 
drove  old  Jake,  the  Marberrys'  coachman,  with  a  farm  wagon  piled 
high  with  straw.  "Whoa!  whoa,  da  f  called  Jake  to  the  Rector's 
old  black  horse,  and  then,  bowing  and  smiling,  he  said,  importantly, 
"  At  your  sarvice  for  Evacuation  Day,  chilluns." 

Of  course  Hazel  and  Starlight  and  Flutters  were  delighted  at 
this  undreamed-of  luxury,  of  being  driven  about  all  day,  from  one 
point  of  interest  to  another,  and  before  they  climbed  into  the  wagon 
Hazel  gave  vent  to  her  appreciation  by  giving  both  Milly  and  Tilly 
such  a  hug  as  sent  the  color  flushing  gratefully  into  the  cheeks  of 
those  amiable  little  sisters. 

For  once  in  his  life  old  Jake  was  in  a  thoroughly  good  humor, 
but  it  is  extremely  doubtful  if  anything  short  of  all  the  pleasurable 
sensations  of  Evacuation  Day  could  have  brought  about  that  de 
lightful  state  of  affairs.  As  for  the  children  they  were  quite  ready 
to  do  anything  in  the  world  for  Jake,  out  of  sheer  gratitude  for  his 
kindly  mood,  a  state  of  affairs,  by  the  way,  which  should  have  made 
that  old  party  feel  very  much  ashamed  of  himself.  To  think  that 
it  should  be  such  an  unusual  thing  for  a  man  to  be  kind,  as  to  make 
even  children  open  their  eyes  for  wonder. 

It  is  impossible  fully  to  describe  all  the  varied  enjoyment  that 
that  day  held  for  the  little  party,  although  from  the  nature  of  things 
it  was  hardly  to  be  expected  that  Hazel  was  able  to  get  as  much 
pleasure  out  of  it  as  the  others.  Down  into  the  city  they  went  in 
the  wake  of  General  Knox's  men,  who  came  to  a  halt  at  the  Col 
lect,  and  then  passing  them,  Jake  took  his  stand  at  a  point  near 
Fort  George,  from  which  the  children  cauld  watch  the  English  sol 
diers  file  down  into  the  barges  and  push  off  for  the  vessels  lying  at 
anchor  in  the  Bay. 

"  There  comes  Company  F,"  Starlight  at  last  exclaimed,  and  in 
a  moment  the  children  tumbled  out  of  the  wagon,  much  to  old 
Jake's  astonishment,  and  in  another  moment  were  crowding  round 
Sergeant  Bellows,  as  he  stood  waiting  his  turn  to  step  into  the  boat. 


1 9o  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

The  Sergeant  had  been  up  to  the  Boniface's  for  a  more  formal 
leave-taking  the  day  before,  but  the  children  had  promised  to  be  on 
hand  at  the  moment  of  departure,  if  they  could  in  any  wise  manage 
it,  and  the  Sergeant's  face  showed  his  delight,  when  he  spied  them 
come  bounding  toward  him. 

There  were  tears  in  Hazel's  eyes  as  the  boat  veered  off  from  the 
dock,  and  tears  in  the  Marberrys'  eyes  out  of  sympathy  for  Hazel,  but 
of  course  the  boys  pretended  they  saw  nothing  whatever  to  feel  sorry 
about.  In  the  excitement,  however,  Flutters  called  out  in  a  very 
significant  tone,  "  Don't  you  forget,  Sergeant,"  and  the  Sergeant  re 
plied  in  rather  a  husky  voice,  "  Never  you  icar,  my  boy  !" 

"  Forget  what?"  questioned  Hazel,  feeling  somehow  that  a  little 
body-servant  ought  scarcely  to  have  any  private  matters  on  hand. 
And  then  Flutters,  realizing  how  foolish  he  had  been  to  make  pub 
lic  his  affairs  in  that  fashion,  felt  constrained  to  answer,  "  Oh,  noth 
ing,"  to  Hazel's  question,  which  disrespect  on  his  part  offended  the 
dignity  of  his  little  mistress,  and  caused  her  to  treat  him  with  much 
coolness  for  the  space  of  the  next  two  minutes,  at  the  end  of  which, 
however,  she  resumed  her  wonted  manner,  having  forgotten  by  that 
time  any  reason  for  acting  otherwise. 

Company  F  had  come  about  mid-way  in  the  order  of  embarking, 
and  as  it  neared  one  o'clock,  the  extreme  rear  guard  began  to  file 
into  the  barges,  while  the  American  troops  moved  silently  forward 
and  took  possession  of  the  Fort,  and  then  it  was  that  General  Knox, 
with  a  chosen  few,  galloped  back  to  meet  and  escort  General  Wash 
ington  and  Governor  Clinton  into  the  city.  For  old  Jake's  party 
this  in-between  time  seemed  to  offer  the  most  favorable  opportunity 
for  luncheon,  and  with  appetites  keenly  whetted  by  their  long 
morning  in  the  open  air,  the  children  '(  fell  to,"  and  as  soon  as  Jake 
had  tied  a  bag  of  oats  over  black  Jennie's  head,  he  took  his  seat  at 
the  back  of  the  wagon,  and  was  himself  regaled  with  a  much  larger 
portion  of  the  Boniface  luncheon  than  he  in  anywise  deserved.  If 
a  body  chances  to  be  very  hungry,  and  at  the  same  time  so  fortunate 
as  to  have  the  wherewithal  to  satisfy  that  hunger,  it  is  astonishing 
how  absorbing  the  process  of  eating  may  become,  and  so  I  doubt 
if,  for  a  while,  the  thoughts  of  the  little  company  in  the  Rector's 
wagon,  rose  above  the  level  of  the  biscuits  they  were  enjoying  or 
were  otherwise  occupied  than  with  the  great  acceptableness  of  cook- 


GOOD-BYE,    SIR    GUY.  191 

ies,  apple  jelly,  and  some  other  inviting  edibles;  and  yet,  only  think  ! 
this  was  the  25th  of  November,  1783.  Out  there  beyond  them  on 
the  broad  sunshine  of  the  Bay,  the  last  of  the  English  Army  were 
turning  their  backs  upon  America,  and  above  them  toward  Harlem, 
a  large  company  of  loyal  Americans  were  joyfully  forming  into  rank 
and  file  to  take  public  possession  of  the  city  so  dearly  loved,  and 
that  had  been  for  years  under  English  rule.  Yes,  American  history 
was  making  very  fast  during  that  eventful  November  noontide,  and 
yet  so  imperative  are  the  demands  of  poor  human  nature,  that  even 
such  a  thorough-going  little  Whig  as  Starlight  became  for  the  time 
being  so  deeply  absorbed  in  bread  and  cheese  as  to  grow  unmindful 
of  exultant  Whigs  and  departing  Tories. 

But  after  the  luncheon  was  all  disposed  of,  save  a  few  crumbs 
thrown  over  the  wagon  side  to  a  stray  dog,  who  had  long  been  be 
seechingly  eying  the  children,  their  minds  at  once  reverted  to 
matters  of  general  importance,  and  it  was  decided  to  drive  back  to 
some  point  on  Broadway  from  which  they  could  watch  the  proces 
sion,  and  Jennie  was  urged  into  a  clumsy  canter  by  way  of  making 
up  for  lost  time.  As  it  was  they  had  some  difficulty  in  gaining 
even  a  fair  position  on  the  line  of  march,  and  secured  that  none  too 
soon,  for  the  sound  of  music  in  the  distance  was  growing  more  and 
more  distinct,  and  in  another  second  the  head  of  the  procession 
came  into  view.  And  what  a  procession  it  proved  !  although 
there  was  no  show  of  military  pomp  or  glory.  That  was  quite  im 
possible,  since  the  greater  part  of  the  American  Army  had  already 
been  disbanded,  and  those  that  were  left  to  participate  in  the  day's 
jubilation  owned  nothing  better  than  shabby  uniforms  which  had 
seen  hard  service,  and  in  many  cases  even  these  poor  remnants  had 
need  to  be  supplemented  with  coats  or  trousers  of  most  unmilitary 
aspect.  But,  notwithstanding  all  this,  it  was  a  grand  procession. 
General  Washington  and  Governor  Clinton  on  horseback,  followed 
by  their  suites,  were  at  its  head ;  then  came  the  Lieutenant  Gover 
nor  and  the  members  of  the  Legislature ;  following  them,  the  officers 
of  the  army,  and  a  large  body  of  prominent  citizens,  and  lastly  the 
military,  whose  very  shabbiness,  because  of  its  significance,  served 
but  to  add  to  the  interest  they  excited. 

The  sun  was  setting  behind  the  New  Jersey  hills  before  the 
procession  was  truly  over,  and  then,  as  there  was  nothing  more  to 


GENERAL  WASHINGTON  AND  GOVERNOR  CLINTON  HEADED  THE  PROCESSION. 


GOOD-BYE,    SIR    GUY.  193 

be  seen,  and  they  were  thoroughly  weary  besides,  the  children 
assented  to  Jake's  proposition  to  turn  Jennie's  head  homeward. 
When  they  neared  the  vicinity  of  old  Bobbin's  shanty,  Flutters 
crept  to  the  back  of  the  wagon  prepared  to  drop  at  the  right 
moment. 

"Where's  Flutters  going?"  asked  the  Marberrys. 

"  Oh,  he  has  to  take  care  of  old  Bobbin,  now,"  Hazel  explained 
with  a  sigh  ;  "  but  you  can't  imagine  how  inconvenient  it  is  for  me," 
for  her  ladyship  had  taken  very  kindly  to  this  having  a  willing  little 
servant  at  her  beck  and  call.  Rather  too  kindly,  Mrs.  Boniface 
thought,  and  she  was  not  sorry  to  have  Flutters's  time  so  fully- 
occupied  as  to  leave  none  of  it  at  Hazel's  disposal.  Soon  after 
Flutters's  departure  the  little  party  relaxed  into  silence,  talked  out 
and  tired  out,  and  as  Jake  showed  some  signs,  now  that  the  excite 
ment  of  the  day  was  over,  of  resuming  his  wonted  surliness,  Star 
light  and  Hazel  were  not  the  least  sorry  when  old  Jennie,  in  the 
perfect  stillness  of  the  early  November  twilight,  came  to  a  stand 
still  at  the  Boniface  gate. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


FLUTTERS    LOSES    ONE    OF   THE  OLD 
FRIENDS. 

OSEPHINE  had  stood  in  the 
doorway  of  the  little  cottage 
half  a  dozen  times  within  the 
last  hour  peering  anxiously 
down  the  road  in  search  of  Flut 
ters,  and  now  that  she  discov 
ered  him  coming  cross-cut 
through  the  meadow  near  which 
he  had  left  the  wagon,  no  one 
could  have  told  how  relieved 
she  felt. 

"  Oh,  Flutters,  I'm  so  glad 
you've  come!"  she  called  softly, 
as  soon  as  he  came  within  speaking 
distance,  and  then  immediately  turned 
back  into  the  room.  Flutters  followed 
her  on  tip-toe,  for  she  had  motioned  him  to  come  in  quietly.  "  What 
is  the  matter  ?"  he  asked,  going  close  to  Bobbin's  cot. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  Josephine  whispered,  with  tears  of  anxious 
sympathy  filling  her  gray  eyes  ;  "  we  had  had  a  lovely  talk  together, 
and  then  he  asked  me  to  read  out  of  a  book,  your  Prayer-Book, 
he  said  it  was,  and  so  I  read  ever  so  many  psalms  from  trie 
Psalter,  till  suddenly  looking  up  I  saw  that  he  was  in  great  pain, 
and  when  I  spoke  to  him  he  seemed  neither  to  see  nor  hear  me. 
In  a  little  while  the  pain  passed  over,  and  ever  since  he  has  lain 
there  so  still  that  I  have  had  to  put  my  ear  down  very  close  to 
make  sure  that  he  was  breathing." 


FLUTTERS  LOSES   ONE   OF   THE   OLD   FRIENDS.          195 

"Dear  old  Bobbin,"  said  Flutters,  stroking  the  thin  gray  hair. 
The  well-known  voice,  or  perhaps  the  gentle  touch,  seemed  to  rouse 
him,  for  he  slowly  opened  his  eyes  and  seeing  Flutters,  smiled. 

"  You'll  not  try  to  keep  me  this  time,"  he  said  slowly,  looking 
up  at  Flutters  beseechingly,  but  in  a  voice  too  low  and  weak  for 
even  Josephine  to  hear. 

"  He  said  not  to  try  to  keep  him  this  time,"  Flutters  explained, 
"  but  don't  you  think  I  ought  to  go  right  away  for  a  doctor?" 

Bobbin  moved  his  head  entreatingly  from  side  to  side,  so 
Josephine  said  :  "  Well,  perhaps  not  yet,  Flutters,  he  seems  so  much 
more  comfortable  now,"  whereupon  Bobbin  looked  the  thanks 
he  felt.  After  a  while,  when  he  had  once  again  mustered  strength, 
he  said  :  "  Flutters,  the  little  book." 

Flutters,  knowing  well  enough  what  he  meant,  took  the  Prayer- 
Book  which  had  been  soon  restored  to  Bobbin  after  that  night  when 
he  had  first  joyfully  discovered  it,  and  turning  to  the  selections  for 
the  twenty-fifth  day  of  the  month  began  to  read.  Josephine  drew  a 
chair  to  the  fireplace  and  sat  listening,  with  her  hands  folded  in  her 
lap,  while  Bobbin  never  took  his  eyes  from  Flutters's  face,  as  he  sat 
close  beside  him  so  that  he  might  hear  distinctly. 

The  little  hut  looked  very  cheery  and  cosey,  converted  as  it  had 
been  into  such  a  comfortable  shelter,  more  comfortable  indeed  than 
Bobbin  had  ever  known,  and  at  a  time,  too,  when  a  warm  room 
and  a  quiet  one  meant  more  to  him  than  it  could  have  meant  at 
anytime  in  all  his  life  before.  But  the  light  in  the  room  was  mo 
mentarily  growing  more  and  more  dim,  and  Flutters  had  to  hold 
the  book  high  in  his  hand  toward  the  little  window  in  order  to 
see  at  all.  Gradually  Bobbin's  tired  eyes  closed,  and  the  last  words 
that  fell  on  his  ears  were  these  :  "  My  soul  has  longed  for  Thy  salva 
tion  and  I  have  a  good  hope  because  of  Thy  Word.  Mine  eyes 
long  sore  for  Thy  Word,  saying,  Oh,  when  wilt  Thou  comfort  me?" 
Flutters  finished  the  selection  and  looked  up.  "  Miss  Josephine  !" 
was  all  he  found  words  to  say,  but  both  of  them  knew  in  a  moment 
that  in  very  truth  "  Evacuation  Day"  had  come  for  Bobbin  too, 
evacuation  from  all  the  sorrows  of  a  long,  hard  life. 

"  I  am  not  sorry,"  said  Josephine,  looking  down  on  the  calm 
face  from  which  all  the  care  seemed  at  once  to  have  vanished. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Flutters,  "  but  he  was  such   a  good  friend  to  me 


196  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

when  no  one  else  cared,"  and  then,  unable  to  keep  the  tears  back, 
he  laid  his  arm  on  Bobbin's  bed,  and  burying  his  face  upon  it,  cried 
bitterly. 

There  was  something  sacred  about  this  deep  sense  of  personal 
loss  that  was  finding  vent  in  Flutters's  hot  tears,  and  for  a  while 
Josephine  hesitated  to  intrude  upon  it.  She  moved  quietly  about 
the  room  setting  its  few  little  articles  to  rights,  and  then  when  there 
was  nothing  else  to  be  done,  and  Flutters  had  gotten  himself  some 
what  in  hand,  she  sat  down  by  his  side. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  Bobbin's  history,  Flutters  ?''  she 
asked. 

"  Not  much,"  trying  to  master  the  emotion  that  made  it  difficult 
to  speak ;  "  he  never  liked  to  talk  about  himself,  but  he  told  me 
once  he  had  always  been  sort  of  alone  ever  since  he  could  re 
member,  and  that  he  hadn't  a  relative  in  the  world." 

Two  days  afterward,  Bobbin  was  laid  away  in  a  corner  of  the  little 
cemetery  surrounding  St.  George's  Church,  Mr.  Marberry  having 
gained  the  consent  of  the  Vestry  to  have  him  buried  there.  Mr. 
Marberry  read  the  service  from  Flutters's  own  Prayer-Book,  and 
about  the  grave  of  the  old  man  whose  life  had  been  so  lonely, 
gathered  at  the  last  a  little  company  of  loving  friends.  It  seemed 
to  Flutters  as  if,  with  Bobbin's  death,  the  chapter  of  his  life  that 
had  to  do  with  the  wretched  circus  had  been  forever  closed,  but,  oh, 
how  thankful  he  was  to  have  been  able  to  make  so  calm  and  peace 
ful  the  last  days  of  the  only  friend  it  had  ever  given  him.  Once 
again  the  road-side  cottage  was  dismantled  of  everything  that  made 
it  homelike,  and  as  the  bleak  wintry  winds  whistled  round  and 
through  it,  who  would  have  thought  that  such  a  little  while  ago  an 
old  man  had  been  comfortably  housed  there,  and  that  it  was  only 
now  left  tenantless,  because  its  occupant  no  longer  had  need  of  any 
earthly  shelter. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 


TWO     IMPORTANT     LETTERS. 


VACUATION     DAY,   with 
all  its  excitement,  was  soon 
followed   by  that  day  well- 
nigh  as   eventful,  when  on 
the    Fourth    of    December 
General  Washington  took 
final  leave  of  his  officers  "  in 
the  great  historic  room"  at 
Fraunces   Tavern,  a  leave- 
taking  that  proved  a  very 
touching  and  trying  ordeal 
both  for  him  and  for  them. 
Starlight  and  Flutters,  who 
had  contrived  to  be  in  the  fore 
front  of  the  crowd  that  looked 
on,  could    have  told    you    how 
plainly  strong  emotion  was  be 
trayed    on    the  brave  General's 
face,  as  he  passed  out  from  the 
tavern,  and  down  to  the  barge 
that  was  waiting  to  convey  him  to 
Paulus   Hook  on  his  way  to   Con 
gress. 

But  after  that  day,  affairs  settled  down  into  much  quieter 
channels  than  they  had  known  for  some  time — that  is,  at  any  rate  as 
far  as  the  people  with  whom  we  have  most  to  do  are  concerned. 
The  Van  Vleets  had  asked  Aunt  Frances  to  make  her  home  with 
them  indefinitely,  and  though  still  faintly  cherishing  the  hope  that 


198  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

she  might  have  her  own  home  back  again  some  day,  she  had  ac 
cepted  their  invitation,  and  opened  a  little  school  among  the  farm 
ers'  children  in  the  neighborhood.  Starlight  was  one  of  her  most 
promising  pupils,  and  so  his  visits  to  Kings  Bridge  were  of  necessity 
less  frequent  than  they  used  to  be.  In  that  matter,  Cousin  Harry 
had  a  great  advantage  over  him,  for  having  moved  to  New  York  in 
order  to  be  near  his  office,  what  more  natural,  and,  as  Harry  would 
have  said,  "  what  more  delightful,"  than  to  spend  all  his  evenings  at 
the  Bonifaces  ?  And  what  a  blessing  those  visits  were  to  them, 
only  they  themselves  could  have  told  you.  As  soon  as  he  arrived 
he  would  first  go  upstairs  and  have  a  talk  with  the  Captain,  ransack 
ing  his  mind  for  everything  that  could  by  any  possibility  interest 
him  ;  then  when  he  had  told  the  little  or  much  that  he  had  to  tell, 
or  saw  that  he  was  tiring  him,  down  he  would  go  to  the  sitting- 
room,  have  a  romp  with  Bonny  Kate,  if  she  had  managed  to  stay  up 
past  her  bed-time,  or  possibly  a  game  of  some  sort  with  Hazel  and 
Flutters,  but  it  generally  happened  that  after  a  while  there  was  no 
one  left  to  talk  to  save  Josephine,  and  of  course  you  know  better 
than  to  think  that  Harry  minded  that.  Josephine  had  generally 
some  bit  of  work  in  hand,  and  could  not  afford  to  simply  laugh  and 
chat  the  evening  away,  with  her  pretty  hands  lying  idle  in  her  lap, 
as  perhaps  is  the  case  with  your  older  sister,  when  some  friend  comes 
to  call.  No,  indeed  !  it  was  necessary  in  those  days  for  her  to 
stitch,  and  stitch  industriously  in  every  available  moment,  if  the 
Boniface  needs  were  to  be  in  any  wise  met  ;  nor  did  these  two 
young  people  laugh  and  chat  very  much  either — the  times  were 
rather  too  serious  for  that ;  not  that  they  did  not  have  a  happy  time 
of  it,  and  sometimes  were  actually  merry,  but,  as  a  rule,  they  seemed 
to  have  something  of  importance  to  quietly  talk  over. 

Meantime  the  winter  came  and  went,  and  spring  began  to  be 
felt  in  the  air,  arid  an  occasional  early  bird  note,  or  a  bunch  of 
pussy  willow  by  the  road-side,  bore  witness  to  the  fact  that  it  was 
slowly  but  surely  coming. 

It  had  seemed  a  long,  long  winter  to  Mrs.  Boniface.  For  many 
weeks  she  had  lived  the  most  retired  life  possible.  Few  had  come 
to  see  her,  and  there  were  but  one  or  two  friends  left  whom  she 
cared  to  go  and  see.  If  it  had  not  been  for  Harry  Avery,  they 
would  scarce  have  had  any  communication  with  the  outside  world. 


TWO   IMPORTANT  LETTERS.  199 

There  had  been  no  further  threats  made  against  Captain  Boniface. 
Even  the  most  bitter  of  his  enemies  would  hardly  have  found  it  in 
his  heart  to  persecute  a  man  who  was  so  hopelessly  paralyzed  as 
never  to  be  able  to  walk  again  ;  but  there  was  something  very  sig 
nificant  in  the  fact  that  they  simply  left  him  alone.  None  of  them 
in  a  relenting  spirit  had  called  to  inquire  how  he  was,  and  if  any  of 
the  old  friends,  who  had  treated  him  so  cruelly  that  night  at  the 
Assembly,  ever  felt  ashamed  of  their  behavior,  they  never  had  the 
grace  to  own  it.  Indeed,  it  is  terrible  to  think  how  that  great 
mastering  passion,  which  we  proudly  call  patriotism,  sometimes 
seems  to  smother  every  noble  and  natural  impulse. 

Soon  after  the  Assembly,  in  fact  that  very  night,  Captain  Boni 
face  had  told  his  wife  of  the  murders  in  South  Carolina,  and  it 
seemed  to  her  then  as  though  every  spark  of  sympathy  with  the 
colonies  and  colonial  interests  had  that  moment  died  within  her. 
She  was  by  far  too  noble  to  let  actual  hatred  take  its  place ;  but  she 
longed  \vith  all  her  heart  for  old  England,  where  she  had  been 
born,  and  to  turn  her  back  on  this  new  country  which  had  treated 
her  so  harshly.  So  Mrs.  Boniface  waited,  with  no  little  anxiety,  for 
the  arrival  of  the  long-looked-for  letter,  cherishing  the  fervent  hope 
that  her  father  would  send  for  them  all  to  come  to  him,  planning 
thoughtfully  all  the  details  of  their  journey,  and  yet  never  once 
daring  to  put  her  hope  into  words.  It  might  happen  that,  although 
willing  enough  to  help  them,  he  would  not  propose  to  do  it  by 
having  her  little  family  sweep  down  upon  him  and  rob  the  old 
rectory  of  the  quiet  it  had  known  so  long,  and  which  must  be  very 
grateful  to  him  in  his  old  age.  But  at  last  the  letter  came,  and 
Mrs.  Boniface  straightway  carried  it  off  to  Flutters's  room,  and 
closed  the  door  and  locked  it.  Her  hands  trembled  as  she  broke 
the  seal.  What  were  they  to  do  ?  that  was  the  question  that  had 
anxiously  confronted  her  for  several  long,  weary  months ;  but 
always  she  had  simply  to  postpone  any  attempt  to  answer  it,  wait 
ing  for  this  letter;  and  now  it  was  in  her  hand  what  would  it  tell 
her? 

It  proved  to  be  a  long,  long  letter,  and  she  read  it  slowly 
through,  word  by  word ;  then  she  buried  her  face  in  her  hands  and 
cried  ;  but  sometimes  people  cry  for  joy  and  not  for  sorrow. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the   same  day,  Flutters  was  grooming 


200  A    LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

Gladys  in  the  barn,  accompanying  the  process  with  a  queer,  buzz 
ing  noise,  such  as  I  believe  is  quite  common  to  grooming  the 
world  over. 

"  Flutters,  where  are  you?"  called  Hazel,  coming  into  the  barn 
in  search  of  him. 

"Here  with  Gladys,  Miss  Hazel." 

"What  do  you  think,  Flutters?"  and  then  Hazel  climbed  up  and 
seated  herself  on  the  edge  of  Gladys's  trough,  before  adding: 

"We  are  going  to  England  to  live  with  grandpa.  Mother  says 
he's  just  the  dearest  old  man,  and  he's  sent  for  us  all  to  come.  He 
lives  in  a  lovely  rectory  in  Cheshire." 

"  You  don't  mean  it,  Miss  Hazel !"  said  Flutters,  his  breath 
quite  taken  away. 

"And  of  course  you  will  go  with  me,  Flutters.  Mother  says 
you  may." 

"  It's  very  kind  of  you  to  be  willing  to  take  me,"  Flutters 
managed  to  reply,  but  at  the  same  time  realized  that  he  would  do 
almost  anything  rather  than  go  back  to  'England,  and  to  the  very 
same  county,  too,  from  which  he  had  come ;  and  he  leaned  down, 
apparently  to  brush  some  straw  from  one  of  Gladys's  legs,  but 
really  to  hide  the  tears  of  bitter  disappointment  that  had  sprung 
unbidden  into  his  eyes.  Fortunately,  the  ruse  succeeded  very  well, 
Hazel  never  dreaming  but  what  he  was  as  delighted  with  the  news 
as  she  herself. 

"  I  can't  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  to  go,  Flutters,  although 
mother  says  we  probably  never  should  have  gone,  if  it  had  not 
been  for  father's  illness.  Things  are  getting  so  much  quieter  now 
that  she  thinks  people  would  have  let  us  alone,  and  father  could, 
perhaps,  have  found  some  way  to  make  a  living,  because,  you  see, 
we  haven't  much  money  left  since  the  war ;  but  you  knew  that, 
Flutters?" 

Flutters  sort  of  half  nodded  yes,  seeing  that  something  was 
expected  of  him,  but  he  was  not  paying  close  attention  to  what 
Hazel  was  saying.  How  could  he  bear  to  have  them  go  and  leave 
him  alone  in  America,  and  whatever  should  he  do?  were  the 
thoughts  that  were  filling  his  mind.  It  seemed  as  though  every 
hair  on  Gladys's  back  was  bristling  with  the  same  sad  questions, 
and  then  the  thought  came  to  him  that  Gladys  herself  would  prob- 


TWO   IMPORTANT  LETTERS. 


201 


ably  be  left  behind,  too,  and  he  laid  his  hand  affectionately  on  her 
prettily  arched  neck. 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  live   in  a  King's  country,"   Hazel  resumed, 


"  WE   ARE    GOING   TO    ENGLAND    TO    LIVE   WITH    GRANDPA." 

after  a  little  pause,  "  and  not  where  everybody's  as  good  as  every 
body  else,  and  where  they  don't  have  princes  and  princesses,  and 
lovely  palaces  for  them  to  live  in.  But  there's  one  thing  I  mean  to 


202  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

do  as  soon  as  ever  I  reach  there,  and  that  is,  to  get  presented  at 
Court,  and  tell  King  George  how  the  prisoners  were  treated  on  the 
'Jersey.'  He  ought  to  know  about  it,  and  when  he  does,  1  just 
guess  those  men  will  get  the  punishment  they  deserve ;"  and  her 
cheeks  glowed  with  excitement  at  the  thought  of  the  forthcoming 
interview.  "  Flutters,  do  you  know  anything  about  the  South  of 
England — about  Cheshire  ?" 

"  Yes,  something,"  answered  Flutters,  getting  a  little  better  com 
mand  of  himself.  "  In  what  part  of  it  does  your  grandfather  live  ?" 

"  Feltstone,  I  think." 

Flutters  gave  a  sigh  of  relief.  Feltstone  was  several  miles  from 
Burnham,  his  old  home,  but  it  wasn't  worth  while  to  think  of  that  ; 
for  back  to  England  he  would  not  go.  To  be  sure,  there  was  a 
chance  that  if  Sergeant  Bellows  had  found  his  father  that  he  might 
be  sent  for;  but  he  could  not  bear  to  face  that  alternative,  and  would 
not  till  he  had  to.  And  then,  wondering  if  he  ever  would  hear  from 
the  Sergeant,  he  remembered  that  he  had  half-hoped  and  half-feared 
that  the  "  Blue  Bird,"  which  had  brought  Mrs.  Boniface's  letter, 
would  also  bring  one  for  him. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  Hazel  chatted  on  with  much  volubility 
about  the  numerous  arrangements  for  the  coming  journey,  and  how 
they  would  all  have  to  try  to  make  everything  as  comfortable  as  pos 
sible  for  her  father.  Now  and  then  she  felt  conscious  of  a  lack  of 
enthusiasm  on  Flutters's  part,  but  the  thought  was  only  momentary, 
and  her  active  little  mind  at  once  travelled  off  in  some  new  line  of 
delightful  anticipation.  All  Flutters  had  to  do  was  occasionally  to 
answer  a  question.  He  thought  best  not  to  say  anything  to  Hazel 
about  not  going  with  them  until  he  should  have  talked  with  Mrs. 
Boniface.  Meantime  Gladys's  grooming  was  completed,  and  as  her 
pretty  mane  had  been  plaited  by  Hazel,  as  she  talked,  into  half  a 
dozen  tight  braids,  she  looked  quite  as  prim  and  trig  as  a  little  old 
maid  on  a  Sunday. 

"  Let's  go  up  to  the  house,  now,"  said  Hazel ;  "or,  no,  I'll  tell 
you,  let's  go  up  to  the  Marberrys  and  tell  them." 

"  I  can't  go,  Miss  Hazel;  your  mother  said  she  had  something 
for  me  to  do  in  the  house."  Whereupon  Hazel  pouted  a  little, 
thinking  it  more  fitting,  no  doubt,  that  body-servants  should  obey 
their  mistresses  rather  than  their  mistresses'  mothers,  but  at  the 


TWO   IMPORTANT  LETTERS,  203 

same  time  seeing  that  it  was  useless  for  her  to  contend  against  the 
force  of  circumstances,  which  in  those  days  of  much  to  do  and  few 
to  do  it,  made  Flutters  a  most  useful  member  of  the  household. 

"There  are  the  Marberrys,  now,"  she  cried,  discovering  them 
coming  in  at  the  gate  in  their  usual  two-abreast  fashion. 

"  Flutters,"  cried  Milly,  as  they  both  broke  into  a  little  run, 
" here's  a  letter  for  you;  it  came  up  with  our  mail  by  mistake." 
Flutters  reached  for  it  eagerly. 

"  It's  directed  just  '  Flutters,'  care  of  Captain  Boniface,"  ven 
tured  Tilly;  "that's  queer,  isn't  it  ?  Haven't  you  any  other  name, 
Flutters?" 

41  Not  now,"  was  Flutters's  rather  remarkable  answer,  and  then  he 
ran  back  to  the  barn  as  if  he  had  forgotten  something  important, 
but  really,  because,  like  Mrs.  Boniface,  he  did  not  want  to  have  any 
one  "  round"  when  he  read  his  letter.  He  chose,  too,  to  take  his  seat 
just  where  Hazel  had  been  sitting,  before  he  opened  it.  Gladys 
looked  on  with  wide-eyed  pony  astonishment  at  this  unwonted  ap 
propriation  of  her  own  individual  stall,  but  seemed,  notwithstanding, 
to  regard  the  matter  good-naturedly. 

If  it  were  feasible  to  have  schools  for  ponies,  and  Gladys  had 
had  the  benefit  thereof,  and  at  the  same  time  no  better  manners 
than  to  have  looked  over  Flutters's  shoulder,  this  is  what  she  might 
have  read  "just  as  easy  as  anything,"  as  you  children  say: 

THE  BUNCH  OF  GRAPES, 

BURNHAM,  CHESHIRE,  ENGLAND, 

February  23d,  1784. 

MY  DEAR  FLUTTERS:  As  perceived  by  the  heading ^of  this  let- 
ter,  I  write  from  the  inn  in  your  father's  village,  to  which  place  I 
made  haste  to  journey  so  soon  as  I  was  favored  with  my  furlough. 
And  now,  my  dear  Flutters,  I  have  sad  news  to  break  to  you,  and 
for  which  you  must  nerve  yourself,  like  the  plucky  little  fellow  that 
you  are.  Your  good  father  is  no  longer  a  sojourner  in  this  sad 
world  of  ours.  He  died  after  a  very  short  illness,  on  the  third  of 
last  September.  I  went  to  see  his  widow,  told  her  I  had  some 
knowledge  of  you,  and  that  if  your  father  had  left  any  message  I 
would  send  it  to  you.  She  said  she  could  not  remember  any,  save 
that  he  used  sometimes  to  say  that  he  would  like  to  know  if  you 


204  A   LOYAL   LITTLE   RED-COAT. 

were  well  cared  for.  She  does  not  seem  to  have  as  much  heart  as 
most  women,  and  blest  if  I  blame  you  much  for  running  off  as  you 
did.  I  think  your  father  left  very  little  money,  as  folks  say  that  your 
stepmother  will  have  to  do  something  to  support  herself  and  her 
children.  Wishing  T  had  better  news  to  send  you,  Flutters,  and 
with  my  dutiful  respects  to  the  dear  Bonifaces,  I  close  this  letter — 
the  longest  I  ever  wrote  in  my  life — and  I  hope  never  again  to  be 
obliged  to  write  such  another. 

Yours  dutifully, 

R.  A.  BELLOWS. 

"  Oh,  Gladys,"  cried  Flutters,  when  he  had  finished  reading,  and, 
leaning  his  head  against  the  pony's  head,  he  sobbed  aloud.  Such  a 
whirl  of  emotion  as  that  letter  awoke  for  Flutters  could  not  be 
put  into  words,  and  in  his  imagination  he  seemed  to  see  his  father's 
grave  and  old  Bobbin's  side  by  side.  The  Bonifaces  were  all  he  had 
left  now,  and  they,  they  were  going  to  leave  him  ;  but,  no,  and 
a  new  light  seemed  to  flash  in  on  his  mind — what  was  there  now  to 
hinder  his  going  with  them?  His  stepmother  would  never  claim 
him.  Indeed,  she  need  never  know  he  was  in  England,  and  so  there 
was  a  bright  side  to  Flutters's  sorrow,  and  after  a  while  he  walked 
quietly  out  from  the  barn  with  the  Sergeant's  letter  in  his  hand,  and 
straight  to  Mrs.  Boniface,  whom  he  found  in  the  Captain's  room, 
and  then  and  there  he  told  them  all  his  story,  and  after  the  telling 
felt  h*e  was  even  nearer  and  dearer  to  his  new  friends  than  ever  he 
had  been  before. 

Only  Gladys  ever  knew  how  intense  had  been  Flutters's  first  sor 
row  on  reading  the  Sergeant's  letter,  but  she  was  such  a  harum- 
scarum  pony  that  probably  the  memory  of  it  went  out  of  her  head 
full  as  quickly  as  the  hairs,  wet  by  Flutters's  tears,  dried  on  her  fore 
head. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


A  HAPPY  DAY  FOR    AUNT  FRANCES. 


OOD  news  or  sorrow 
ful  news  does  not  al 
ways  come  to  one  in 
the  form  of  a   care 
fully  worded  let 
ter,  as  with  Mrs. 
Boniface    and 
Flutters,    nor 
when,  because  a 
letter    of     some 
sort  is  expected, 
one  is  in  a  way 
prepared    for    it. 
More     often     it 
comes  when  you 
are  least  on  the 
lookout     for    it, 
and  when  life  is 
running    on   un 
eventfully   in 
worn  grooves,  as 
though    it   must 
so    run    on     forever. 
_  And     in     this     same 

unanticipated  fashion 
some  very  good  news    came    to 
Aunt  Frances. 
It  was  just   at   sunset,  and  she  was  out  on   the   river  in  a  little 


2o6  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

boat  with  Starlight.  It  had  been  one  of  those  days  that  sometimes 
come  in  the  latter  part  of  May  as  harbingers  of  summer.  The 
school-room  had  been  close  and  warm,  and  Aunt  Frances  had  left  it 
with  a  headache,  so  that  Starlight,  with  a  loving  thoughtfulness  that 
always  went  straight  to  her  heart,  had  proposed  a  row  in  the  cool, 
early-evening  air  of  the  river,  and  Aunt  Frances  had  accepted. 

"  Do  not  row  hard,  dear,"  she  said;  "just  paddle  around  leisurely 
not  far  from  the  shore.  I  like  it  just  as  well;"  and  Starlight,  who 
also  felt  a  little  enervated  by  the  languid  day,  was  glad  to  take  her  at 
her  word.  Indeed,  none  of  the  people  of  this  little  story  were  feel 
ing  very  bright  and  cheery  just  then.  *  Rather  heavy-hearted,'  would 
have  described  them  all  in  greater  or  less  degree,  and  the  fact  that 
the  Bonifaces  were  going  away  had  much  to  do  therewith.  Even 
Hazel's  rosy  anticipations  of  life  under  Old  England's  glorious  mon 
archy,  paled  a  little,  as  she  realized  that  such  dear  friends  as  Aunt 
Frances,  Starlight,  and  the  Marberrys  must  be  left  behind,  as  well  as 
everything  else  familiar  to  her  childhood.  It  had  been  decided  that 
the  Bonifaces  should  sail  in  the  "Blue  Bird,"  when  she  returned  to 
England  in  the  middle  of  June,  and  the  sight  of  her,  as  she  lay  at 
anchor  in  the  harbor,  was  such  a  depressing  one  to  Starlight,  that  he 
contrived,  as  they  rowed  about  on  the  river,  to  keep  his  back  turned 
toward  her  as  much  as  possible. 

"  Then  it  is  really  settled,  Starlight,  that  the  Bonifaces  are  go 
ing  ?"  said  Aunt  Frances,  looking  over  toward  the  ship,  and  break 
ing  a  long  pause,  during  which  they  had  both  sat  thoughtfully 
silent. 

"  Yes,"  Starlight  answered  resting  on  his  oars.  "  I  feel  awfully 
sorry  for  them." 

"  But  they  are  not  sorry  for  themselves,  are  they  ?"  and  Aunt 
Frances  drawing  up  her  sleeve  put  her  hand  over  the  boat's  side 
that  the  cool  water  might  splash  against  it.  "  I  imagined  that  Mrs. 
Boniface  was  glad  to  go  back  to  England  and  to  her  father^whom 
she  has  not  seen  since  she  was  married,  twenty-five  years  ago." 

"  Oh,  yes,  of  course,  she  is  glad  on  some  accounts,  but  after  all 
they  go  because  they  must ;  and,  besides,  it's  hard  to  go  back  to  the 
country  you  came  from  without  having  made  a  success  of  things." 

"  But  the  war  is  entirely  responsible  for  all  the  Captain's  troubles 
— everybody  knows  that  well  enough,  and  if  any  one  deserves  a  pen- 


A   HAPPY  DAY  FOR   AUNT  FRANCES.  207 

sion  from  the  Crown  he  certainly  does,  tie  has  sacrificed  health 
and  friends  and  property  in  the  service  of  the  King." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Starlight,  "  and  it's  a  cruel  shame  that  people 
like  the  Bonifaces  shouldn't  he  treated  decently,  and  that  people 
like  us,  Aunt  Frances,  shouldn't  be  allowed  to  live  in  the  houses 
that  belong  to  us." 

"  Sh — ,  Starlight,"  said  Aunt  Frances,  "  there  are  some  things  you 
know  that  it  is  better  not  to  talk  about  any  more ;  it  only  stirs  us  up 
and  to  no  purpose;"  whereupon  Starlight  obediently  lapsed  into 
silence,  and  nothing  more  was  said  till  Aunt  Frances,  discovering  a 
row-boat  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  coming  toward  them,  exclaimed, 
"  Who's  that,  I  wonder  !"  for  boats  were  not  so  numerous  in  those 
days  as  to  come  and  go  without  notice.  Starlight  wondered  too, 
but  continued  to  row  about  in  an  aimless  fashion,  till  first  thing 
they  knew  the  approaching  boat  was  quite  close  upon  them. 

''  Who  can  it  be  ?"  said  Aunt  Frances,  softly,  and  Starlight  had 
only  time  to  reply,  "  It  looks  a  little  like  Captain  Wadsworth,"  and 
Aunt  Frances  to  see  that  he  was  right  in  his  conjecture,  before  the 
boat  came  within  speaking  distance,  and  the  Captain,  touching  his 
hat,  said  politely,  "  Miss  A  very,  I  believe." 

"  Yes,  Captain  Wadsworth ;"  for  although  Aunt  Frances  and  the 
Captain  had  never  before  exchanged  words,  their  faces  were  well 
known  to  each  other.  "Did  you  wish  to  see  me?"  she  added,  some 
what  coldly. 

The  Captain  was  too  much  of  a  gentleman  to  show  that  he 
noticed  her  chilling  manner,  and  remarked  quite  casually,  "  I  merely 
came  over  to  tell  you  that  I  have  decided  after  all  to  give  up  the 
idea  of  making  my  home  in  this  country,  and  that  your  home  is  at 
your  disposal."  „ 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  said  Aunt  Frances,  unable  to  believe 
that  she  heard  aright.  As  for  Starlight,  he  lost  an  oar  overboard 
from  sheer  excitement,  which  the  man  who  was  rowing  Captain 
Wadsworth  was  kind  enough  to  fish  out  for  him. 

"  I  mean,"  said  the  Captain,  "  that  you  are  free  to  enter  your 
own  home  at  once ;  I  propose  to  sail  for  England  very  soon  and 
have  already  vacated  it." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you,"  for  Aunt  Frances  was  more  confused 
than  she  had  ever  been  in  her  life.  "  I  can  pay  nothing  for  it.  If 


208  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

you  consider  that  you  have  a  right  to  live  in  it,  you  must  consider 
that  you  also  have  a  right  to  sell  it." 

The  Captain  bit  his  lip,  at  a  loss  what  to  say,  and  Aunt  Frances 
realized  that  she  was  acting  unkindly  and  perhaps  rudely. 

"  Do  you  mean,"  she  asked,  "that  there  is  nothing  for  me  to  do 
but  simply  to  walk  into  my  old  home?"  and  her  face  brightened 
unconsciously  as  she  spoke. 

"  That  is  exactly  what  I  mean,  Miss  Avery." 

"  You  are  very  kind,  Captain  Wadsworth.  You  can  hardly 
wonder,  I  am  sure,  that  I  cannot  find  words  in  which  to  thank  you." 

"Why  should  you  thank  me?"  the  Colonel  replied  half  mis 
chievously.  "  You  have  felt  all  along  that  the  place  rightfully  be 
longed  to  you." 

"  But  you  had  the  law  on  your  side,  so  what  did  it  matter  how  I 
thought  or  felt  ?" 

"  It  mattered  a  great  deal,  Miss  Avery;  so  much  that,  law  on 
my  side  or  no,  I  confess  to  you  that  I  have  not  felt  very  comfort 
able  in  your  home,  particularly  since  I  moved  my  men  out,  and  have 
had  the  place  to  myself.  Indeed,  I've  never  really  felt  at  home 
in  the  country,  and  half  regret  having  resigned  my  commission." 

"  You  can  imagine  that  all  this  is  a  great  surprise  to  me,"  said 
Aunt  Frances,  never  looking  handsomer  in  her  life,  "  though  I 
acknowledge  having  cherished  just  a  faint  little  hope  lately  that  it 
might  come  about  some  day." 

"  Why  lately,  if  I  may  ask,  Miss  Avery  ?" 

"  Because,"  said  Aunt  Frances,  blushing  a  little,  "  Colonel  Ham- 
ilton  told  me  at  the  Assembly  that  he  was  sorry  to  have  been  the 
means  of  depriving  me  of  my  home,  and  that  he  would  endeavor  to 
make  any  reparation  within  his  power.  Will  you  think  me  rude  in 
asking  if  he  has  in  any  way  influenced  your  decision  ?" 

"  Colonel  Hamilton  ?  No,  not  in  the  least ;  but  I  believe  the  ar 
guments  of  a  certain  little  woman,  who  came  to  me  several  months 
ago,  have  had  much  to  do  with  it." 

"  I  know  who  it  was,"  exclaimed  Starlight,  eagerly,  unable  to 
keep  silent  another  moment;  "  I  believe  it  was  Hazel  Boniface." 

"  And  I  believe  you  are  her  friend,  'Starlight,'"  said  the  Captain, 
having  made  up  his  mind  to  that  fact  much  earlier  in  the  conversa 
tion. 


A   HAPPY  DAY  FOR   AUNT  FRANCES.  209 

Starlight  said  "  Yes,  sir,"  with  a  beaming  look  which  plainly  de 
clared  that  he  was  proud  to  have  that  honor. 

All  this  while  Peter,  the  Captain's  man,  had  sat  an  interested 
listener,  enjoying  everything  with  much  the  same  relish  perhaps  as 
you  or  I  would  enjoy  the  happy  ending  of  a  rather  harrowing  play, 
only  this  was  by  so  much  the  better,  because  it  was  real  and  not 
tl  make  believe."  To  keep  the  boats  from  drifting  apart,  Peter  kept 
a  firm  hand  upon  the  rail  of  Starlight's  boat,  and  Starlight's  upon 
his.  Indeed,  I  think  there  was  a  tacit  understanding  between  them 
that  on  no  account  were  those  two  boats  to  be  allowed  to  diverge 
a  hair's-breadth  until  this  whole  delightful  matter  should  be  unalter 
ably  settled. 

Of  course  Starlight's  remark  about  Hazel  had  been  another  sur 
prise  to  Aunt  Frances,  and  when  Captain  Wadsworth  went  on  to 
tell  her  all  about  Hazel's  call  in  the  warm  September  weather  of 
the  preceding  autumn,  and  how  deep  a  hold  her  childish  earnest 
ness  had  taken  upon  him,  it  seemed  to  Aunt  Frances  as  though  she 
could  not  wait  to  give  her  successful  little  champion  such  a  hug  as 
she  had  never  had  in  her  life  before. 

"  She  went  to  see  Colonel  Hamilton  too,"  said  Starlight  in  the 
pause  that  followed  Captain  Wadsworth's  narration. 

"  Then  perhaps  that  partly  accounts  for  Colonel  Hamilton's 
kind  feeling,"  said  Aunt  Frances  slowly,  as  a  new  light  seemed  to 
shine  in  upon  the  whole  transaction. 

"  I  think  it  highly  probable,  Miss  Avery.  The  old  prophecy 
that  a  little  child  shall  lead  them  is  more  often  fulfilled,  even  in  this 
world,  I  think,  than  most  of  us  have  any  idea  of." 

Meantime  the  current  of  the  river  had  carried  the  boats  close 
into  shore,  and  Aunt  Frances,  with  the  charm  of  manner  that  was 
always  natural  to  her,  asked  the  Captain  to  come  up  to  the  house, 
and  he  came  up,  and  accepted  the  Van  Vleets'  cordial  invitation  to 
stay  to  supper,  and  not  until  the  moon  was  high  over  the  river  did 
he  call  to  Peter  to  row  him  back  to  New  York ;  and  if  the 
Colonel's  body  had  grown  as  light  as  his  heart,  old  Peter's  load 
would  have  been  scarce  heavier  than  a  feather. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 


THE    "  BLUE    BIRD"    WEIGHS    ANCHOR. 

O,  Starlight,  I'm  sorry,  but 
I  do  not  see  how  you  can 
possibly  be  of  the  least  use 
in  the  world." 

Captain  Lewis  tried  to 
speak  kindly,  but,  big  boy 
or  no,  real  tears  stood  in 
Starlight's  eyes.  "  Why, 
do  you  feel  as  badly  as 
that,  Starlight  ?" 

Starlight  gave    a   nod 
which   meant  that  he  did 
feel  just  as  badly  as  that, 
and  at  the    same    time    suc 
ceeded  in  choking  down  what 
he  feared  might  have  proved 
an  audible  little  sob. 

"  Well,  then,  let  me  see," 
and  the  Captain  leaned  for 
ward  on  his  rude  desk  and 
thought  a  moment.  They 
were  in  the  cabin  of  the  "  Blue 
Bird,"  whither  Starlight  had 

rowed   over  that  morning,  with  such   a  favor  to  ask  of  the  "  Blue 
Bird's"  Captain  as  he  never  yet  had  asked  of  anybody. 

"  And  yet  you  could  do  little  odds  and  ends  for  me  now, 
couldn't  you  ?"  continued  the  Captain,  after  what  seemed  to  Star 
light  a  never-ending  pause. 


THE  "BLUE  BIRD"    WEIGHS  ANCHOR.  211 

11  Yes,  sir,"  he  answered  frankly,  brushing  away  his  tears  with  his 
sleeve  in  awkward  boy  fashion  ;  "  I'm  sure  I  could  save  you  ever  so 
many  steps.  You  know  I  wouldn't  think  of  going  unless  I  really 
felt  I  could  work  my  passage." 

"  You  are  a  proud  little  fellow,  Job,  but,  then,  I  like  your  spirit, 
and  if  you  won't  take  the  voyage  as  a  cabin  passenger  at  my  invita 
tion,  why,  then,  you  shall  go  as  you  propose.  Of  course  your  Aunt 
has  given  her  consent." 

u  I  have  not  asked  her  yet,  sir.  I  thought  it  would  be  half  the 
battle  to  have  your  permission  first." 

The  Captain  laughed  heartily  over  Starlight's  diplomacy,  and 
then  they  talked  on  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  longer,  arranging  the 
details  of  the  journey  that  was  to  be,  if  only  Aunt  Frances  could  be 
persuaded  to  give  her  consent — a  pretty  big  if,  by  the  way.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  Starlight,  remembering  that  the  Captain  must  have 
many  things  to  attend  to,  said  good-afternoon,  shaking  his  rough 
sailor  hand  with  a  world  of  gratitude  in  his  happy  face.  Then  he 
clambered  nimbly  down  the  "  Blue  Bird's"  ladder,  and  jumping  into 
his  boat,  rowed  off  toward  New  York  and  toward  home,  for, 
scarcely  able  to  believe  their  senses,  Aunt  Frances  and  Starlight 
were  back  in  the  old  house,  with  everything  so  nearly  restored  to 
what  it  had  been  before  that  those  two  years  in  the  Van  Vleet 
homestead  already  seemed  half  a  dream. 

And  now  the  i5th  of  June  had  dawned,  and  as  the  "Blue 
Bird"  was  to  sail  that  afternoon,  everything  was  in  readiness  for  the 
departure  of  the  Bonifaces,  and  everything  was  in  readiness  for 
something  else,  too,  which  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  wed 
ding  at  Aunt  Frances's.  And  who  do  you  suppose  were  going  to  be 
married  ?  Who,  to  be  sure,  but  Josephine  and  Harry,  and  Josephine 
was  to  stay  in  America,  and  her  home  was  to  be  right  there  in  the 
old  house  with  Aunt  Frances.  Strange,  wasn't  it,  that  she  should 
be  willing  to  stay  behind,  when  all  the  family  were  going  away 
across  the  ocean  to  live  in  England  ?  But.  that  is  one  of  the  things 
that  is  often  happening  in  this  queer  world  of  ours,  and  the  beauty 
of  it  is  that  it  is  all  right  and  beautiful,  and  just  as  the  good  Father 
Himself  would  have  it.  And  so  Josephine  was  married  at  noon  in 
Aunt  Frances's  parlor,  and  even  her  father  was  there,  for  it  had  been 
arranged  that  the  ceremony  should  be  performed  when  the  Boni- 


212  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

faces  were  on  their  way  to  the  "  Blue  Bird,"  and  when  it  would  be  an 
easy  matter  simply  to  carry  the  Captain  in  and  lift  him  on  to  the 
broad  lounge  in  the  sitting-room. 

There  was  something  sad  in  the  fact  that,  so  strong  was  party 
feeling  everywhere,  that  it  had  been  difficult  to  find  in  the  neigh 
borhood  the  four  men  needed  to  accomplish  the  moving  of  Captain 
Boniface  into  the  city  and  then  out  to  the  ship;  four  men,  that  is, 
who  did  not  feel  that  they  had  some  sort  of  grudge  against  the 
English  officer.  But  Jake,  the  Marberrys'  man,  had  at  last  pressed 
into  the  service  three  others  of  his  race,  who  bore  Captain  Bon 
iface  no  ill-will.  It  was  touching  to  see  with  what  tender  care  the 
four  strong  fellows  lifted  their  helpless  burden,  for  although  the 
Captain  had  recovered,  as  Dr.  Melville  said  he  would,  partial  use  of 
his  arms  and  hands,  he  was  still  powerless  to  take  a  single  step. 

Mr.  Marberry  naturally  officiated  at  the  wedding,  and  the  twins, 
of  course,  were  there,  smiling  and  sweet,  though  possibly  a  little  self- 
conscious,  in  their  new  white  dresses,  with  soft  silk  sashes,  tied  in 
two  exactly  similar  bows  in  the  middle  of  their  straight  little  backs. 
And  the  Van  Vleets  were  there,  and  Miss  Pauline,  who  looked 
rather  mystified  at  the  whole  proceeding,  and  Captain  Wadsworth 
besides,  and  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Hamilton,  the  two  latter  of  whom 
were  invited  because  of  Harry's  position  in  the  Colonel's  office. 

It  was  doubtless  a  real  satisfaction  to  Captain  Wadsworth  and 
Colonel  Hamilton  to  be  present,  though,  when  you  come  to  think 
of  it,  it  was  rather  a  remarkable  state  of  things. 

Here  they  were  attending  a  wedding  in  the  very  house  that 
they  had  lawfully  succeeded  in  wresting  from  Miss  Avery,  and  here 
she  was  permanently  established  in  her  own  home  again,  with  the 
Captain  out  of  it,  and  of  his  own  accord  too.  It  was  strange  indeed 
how  it  had  all  come  about,  and  stranger  still  to  think  that  a  little 
girl  of  ten,  mustering  up  sufficient  courage  to  call  upon  two  strange 
gentlemen  several  months  before,  had  had  much  to  do  with  bring 
ing  about  this  delightful  change  in  affairs;  but,  as  we  all  hear  so 
often  that  we  do  not  half  take  in  the  blessed  truth  .of  it,  "  God's 
ways  are  not  as  our  ways,"  and  the  trifles,  as  we  think  them,  are 
likely  to  prove  anything  but  trifles. 

It  was  more  than  a  delight  to  Harry  to  have  Colonel  Hamilton 
present  at  his  wedding,  for  although  his  employer  was  his  senior  by 


THE   "BLUE  BIRD"    WEIGHS  ANCHOR. 


213 


only  a  few  years,  Harry  looked  up  to  him  with  an  admiring  vener 
ation  amounting  almost  to  worship.  There  was  something  about 
Alexander  Hamilton  that  inspired  this  sort  of  devotion,  an  air, 


"  THE   LOVINGEST    SORT    OF   A   KISS." 


some  hav^e  said,  of  serious,  half-sad  thoughtfulness,  as  though  the 
cruel  and  unnecessary  sacrifice  of  his  life,  which  he  felt  in  honor 
bound  to  make  in  1804,  cast  long  shadows  of  presentiment  be 
fore  it. 


214  A    LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

When  the  ceremony  was  over,  and  Hazel  had  been  the  first  to 
press  the  lovingest  sort  of  a  kiss  on  Josephine's  lips,  all  the  rest 
gathered  around  to  congratulate  the  young  couple,  trying  for  the 
moment  to  forget  the  sorrowful  parting  so  soon  to  follow.  Then 
when  they  had  eaten,  or  pretended  to  eat,  some  of  the  good  things 
Aunt  Frances  had  prepared  in  honor  of  the  occasion,  it  was  time  to 
go  down  to  the  barge  that  was  waiting  at  Fort  George  to  carry  the 
"  Blue  Bird's'1  passengers.  Josephine's  good-byes  were  all  said  at  the 
house.  She  could  not  bear  to  have  any  strangers  near  when  she 
took  that  long  farewell  of  her  father  and  mother,  and  Hazel  and 
Bonny  Kate,  and  then,  going  up  to  the  room  that  Aunt  Frances  had 
fitted  up  for  her,  and  burying  her  face  in  the  pillows  of  the  sofa,  it 
seemed  to  her  as  though  her  heart  would  break.  Sad  enough  for  a 
bride,  you  think — so  different  from  all  the  joyous  cheer  that  ought 
to  belong  to  a  wedding;  and  yet  many  happy  days  were  in  store  for 
Josephine,  many  happy  years  in  the  old  homestead,  never  so  home 
like  and  attractive  as  since  Aunt  Frances  had  regained  possession  of 
it.  There  was  quite  a  little  company  of  them  walking  down  to  the 
barge,  so  much  of  a  company,  indeed,  that  some  boys,  who  noticed 
them,  wondered  "  what  was  up,"  and  having  nothing  better  to  do, 
followed  in  their  train.  Captain  Boniface,  of  course,  was  driven 
down,  and  so  was  Mrs.  Boniface  and  Kate;  but  Hazel  preferred  to 
walk,  and  with  a  "  teary"  little  Marberry  on  either  arm  made  her 
way  along  with  the  rest.  There  was  but  one  bright  spot  on  the 
otherwise  dark  horizon  of  those  little  Marberrys,  and  that  was  that 
Hazel's  pony,  Gladys,  had  taken  up  her  abode  in  the  Rector's  stable, 
and  was  to  be  theirs  from  that  day  forth  ;  and  they  took  a  sort  of 
gloomy  comfort  in  determining  that  as  soon  as  they  had  said  good 
bye  to  Hazel  herself  they  would  go  straight  home  and  into  Gladys's 
stall,  and  ease  their  heavy  little  hearts  by  doing  what  they  could  for 
the  welfare  of  Hazel's  pony.  There  was  no  doubt  about  it,  the 
Marberrys  were  the  most  devoted  of  friends  ;  but  there  was  one  thing 
that  puzzled  Hazel  :  Starlight  was  not  as  downcast  as  the  occasion 
seemed  to  demand.  On  the  contrary,  he  seemed  more  cheerful  than 
for  many  days,  and  the  nearer  came  the  hour  for  the  departure,  why 
the  more  light-hearted.  It  was  most  inexplicable.  Could  it  be, 
she  thought,  that  she  had  been  mistaken  in  him  all  these  years,  and 
that,  after  all,  he  was  a  boy  with  no  more  feeling  than  4<  other  boys  "? 


ANOTHER  MINUTE  AND  YOU'LL  BE  LEFT." 


216  A   LOYAL   LITTLE  RED-COAT. 

It  seems  that  Aunt  Frances  had  finally  given  her  consent  to 
Starlight's  scheme  to  make  the  round  trip  on  the  "  Blue  Bird,"  and 
see  the  Bonifaces  safely  landed  on  British  soil,  not,  however,  you 
may  be  sure,  until  she  had  talked  the  plan  well  over  with  Captain 
Lewis ;  but  it  had  all  been  kept  a  carefully  guarded  secret  from 
Hazel,  and  even  Flutters  did  not  know  of  it.  At  Fort  George  final 
leave  was  taken  of  Milly  and  Tilly,  Aunt  Frances  and  the  Van 
Vleets;  but  we  will  not  say  very  much  about  that.  There  are  quite 
too  many  good-byes  in  the  world  for  most  of  us  as  it  is,  and  yet, 
where  were  the  happy  meetings  were  it  not  for  these  same  good-byes  ? 

Harry  Avery  and  Starlight  went  over  in  the  barge  to  the  vessel, 
and  as  Starlight  earlier  in  the  day  had  stealthily  stowed  away  his 
baggage,  consisting  in  greater  part  of  an  old  violin,  there  was  noth 
ing  to  betray  that  he  had  any  thought  other  than  to  return  in  the 
barge  with  Harry  when  the  time  came. 

It  was  not  an  easy  thing  to  get  Captain  Boniface  aboard  of  the 
"  Blue  Bird,"  but  finally  it  was  safely  accomplished  to  the  great  relief 
of  everybody,  including  even  Bonny  Kate,  who  had  been  very  much 
afraid  the  men  would  let  him  fall. 

But  no  one  watched  the  proceeding  with  greater  evident  anxiety 
than  Flutters,  for  Flutters  had  given  himself  over  mind  and  body  to 
the  Captain,  anticipating  his  every  wish,  and  trying  to  be  both  hands 
and  feet  to  him ;  and  Hazel  had  been  sufficiently  gracious  to  resume 
without  demurring  the  brushing  of  her  own  clothes  and  sundry 
other  little  duties  which  had  of  late  been  performed  for  her  by  Flutters. 

As  for  Flutters,  now  that  his  father  was  dead,  it  mattered  not  to 
him  where  home  might  be,  if  it  were  only  with  the  Bonifaces;  but 
he  thought  he  should  like  some  day,  when  they  could  spare  him 
from  the  Rectory  over  there  in  Cheshire,  to  run  down  to  Burnham, 
and  without  letting  them  know  who  he  was,  perhaps  have  a  chat 
with  those  little  white  children  of  his  father's,  that  were  babies 
when  he  left  England,  if  he  should  happen  to  find  them  playing  in 
the  garden  of  the  house  where  he  used  to  live. 

It  was  a  beautiful  early-summer  day,  that  15th  of  June,  and 
the  bay  lay  sparkling  like  silver  in  the  sunshine.  The  "  Blue  Bird" 
was  booked  to  sail  at  three  o'clock,  and  at  the  exact  moment  the 
sailors  began  pulling  hand  over  hand  with  their  "  Yo,  heave  O,"  and 
the  "  Blue  Bird's"  anchor  was  weighed. 


THE   "BLUE  BIRD"    WEIGHS  ANCHOR. 


217 


Harry  Avery  had  kissed  Mrs.  Boniface  good-bye,  and  once  again 
promised,  with  a  tremble  in  his  voice,  "to  take  the  best  care  of 
Josephine,"  and  now  he  was  climbing  down  the  ship's  side,  and  the 
rowers  of  the  barge,  bending  to  their  oars,  were  simply  waiting  to 
"  give  way,"  till  he  should  have  stepped  aboard. 

'  Starlight,  with  hands  in  his  trousers'  pockets,  stood  on  the  "  Blue 
Bird's"  deck,  apparently  unconcerned.  Flutters,  wondering  what  the 
fellow  could  be  thinking  of,  with  an  excited  gesture  gave  him  a 
shove  in  the  direction  of  the  barge,  while  Hazel,  with  a  strong  ac 
cent  on  every  word,  cried,  "Another  minute,  Job  Starlight,  and 
you'll  be  left." 

"  It  can't  be  helped,  Hazel  ;  I'm  left  now,"  Starlight  answered, 
and  indeed  truthfully,  for  the  barge  was  already  yards  away ;  then, 
seeing  how  real  was  Hazel's  anxiety  over  what  she  deemed  a  most 
distressing  accident,  he  hastened  to  announce,  his  face  wreathed  in 
smiles,  "  But  it's  all  right,  Hazel;  I  am  going  to  see  you  safe  to  Eng 
land,  and  Aunt  Frances  is  in  the  secret."  Hazel,  as  weak  as  a  kitten 
with  delight  and  astonishment,  leaned  against  the  ship's  rail,  and 
could  not  find  voice  to  speak  for  two  whole  minutes ;  while  Captain 
Lewis  looked  on,  rubbing  his  palms  complacently  together,  and 
thinking  what  a  grand  thing  it  was  to  have  had  a  hand  in  a  surprise 
like  that  1 


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